A report out of Hong Kong tonight writes that Foxconn, the world’s largest contract electronics maker, that respiratory disease scientist Zhong Nanshan will act as its chief coronavirus prevention adviser to help the firm cope with the health crisis as it resumes production in China.

Foxconn stated in a post on its official WeChat account earlier today that "Zhong Nanshan and his team will provide … free consulting and guidance on coronavirus prevention and safe resumption of production."  

The company, which makes most of Apple’s iPhones and employs about 1 million workers at 30 industrial complexes in mainland China, said it is endeavouring to protect workers from the virus as it resumes partial production in its factories.

According to a China Daily report published on February 12th, "The median incubation period is three days, less than the estimated 5.2 days, according to the research conducted by Zhong and his team, whose findings were published on Sunday February 9th on medRxiv, the free online archive and distribution server for complete but unpublished medical papers." The report further noted that only one case required a 24-day incubation period. You could read an abstact of Zhong's research here.

After playing a pivotal role in China’s fight against the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) epidemic in 2002-03, Zhong has become one of the most noted experts on respiratory diseases in China.

The electronics manufacturer said its factories in other countries, including Vietnam, India, and Mexico, are running at full capacity.

Earlier today Patently Apple posted another Foxconn report titled "Foxconn has added new incentives to attract Workers to Apple Plant for iPhone Production."