Disease scare crashes Intel events - News - Business

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This story was printed from ZDNet Australia.
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Disease scare crashes Intel events

By Ed Frauenheim, Special to ZDNet
April 03, 2003
URL: http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/business/soa/Disease-scare-crashes-Intel-events/0,139023166,120273386,00.htm

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreak has caused Intel to cancel two conferences in Asia and postpone a trip to the region by chief executive officer Craig Barrett.

In the latest case of the mysterious illness disrupting technology company operations in Asia, Intel decided Tuesday evening to cancel its developer forum events slated for later this month in Beijing and in Taipei, Taiwan.

"In response to customers' concerns over (SARS), the format will change to presenting technology content updates and press announcements over the coming months," the company said in a statement.

The main purpose of Barrett's trip was to speak at the conferences, said company spokesman Chuck Mulloy. Barrett will reschedule other events on his itinerary, Mulloy said.

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization recommended that people consider postponing nonessential travel to Hong Kong and the neighboring Guangdong Province of China. According to the organization, SARS is an atypical pneumonia of unknown cause that was first recognised in February. As of Wednesday, the organisation said, a total of 2,223 cases of the disease had been reported, with 78 fatalities. About 1,900 of the cases were from Hong Kong or other parts of China.

Intel's decision to cancel its conferences is not the first example of the contagious disease throwing a wrench in the plans of tech companies, which have extensive manufacturing facilities in the Asia-Pacific region and often depend on components made there.

Over the weekend, Intel told about 60 to 70 employees assigned to a Hong Kong office that they should stay home this week. The decision came after one employee at the office showed symptoms of SARS, Mulloy said. The affected employees work on one floor of a three-floor office that serves as Intel's sales and marketing headquarters for the region. Those employees are working from home, Mulloy said Wednesday.

Concerns about SARS led computer maker Sun Microsystems to cancel the Shanghai portion of a massive product launch it had scheduled for 7 April and to postpone a major conference that had been expected to draw 4,000 attendees. Chipmaker ATI Technologies postponed an Asian tour intended to show off its new line of products.

The disease also has affected operations at a Singapore plant of Motorola. And a possible SARS infection in one of its employees prompted Hewlett-Packard to shutter a 300-person Hong Kong office on Friday. HP also distributed information about the illness to its staff throughout the region.