Skoda extends Czech factory outages to April 14

Czech automaker Skoda Auto, part of the Volkswagen Group, will increase stoppage at its domestic plants to April 14, thus modifying their original return date of April 6, the automaker said.

Skoda is the country’s largest exporter and halted production on March 18 as part of measures to deal with the spread of the coronavirus that has many countries of Europe on lockdown.

Volkswagen, the world’s biggest automaker, has stopped production at other plants throughout Europe as the coronavirus hits sales and disrupts supply chains.

The Czech government has closed borders, most shops and restaurants and restricted people’s movement as part of its response to the spread of the virus.

The first detection of the virus in the Czech Republic emerged on March 1. About 2,837 people in the country have been confirmed as being infected with the coronavirus. The virus has killed 20 people in the country.