Coronavirus Casts a Pall Over Chemical Industry: Here's How

The chemical industry, which reeled under the effects of the bitter tariff war between the United States and China last year, braces for another heavy hit from the coronavirus outbreak. Officially called COVID-19, the virus has so far claimed roughly 2,800 lives and infected more than 82,000 people in over 40 countries. Notably, the outbreak has been spreading fast outside China of late. The epidemic, which now appears to be hurtling into a full-blown pandemic, has raised concerns whether China’s supercharged economy is heading for a hard landing. China’s government has taken draconian measures to contain the contagion through lockdowns and quarantines on the worst-hit areas, including the city of Wuhan in Hubei province, the epicenter of the epidemic.