Port congestion worsens? 67% of workers at US West Coast ports diagnosed with COVID-19

On January 4 (Tuesday this week), the number of newly confirmed cases in the United States exceeded 1 million in a single day. At the same time, the confirmed rate of new coronavirus among American port workers was also increasing.

According to foreign media reports, in the recent nucleic acid test results of dock workers on the West Coast of the United States, 67% of the workers tested positive!

The news was revealed by Jim McKenna, president of the Pacific Maritime Association ( PMA), in an interview with the media: "On Tuesday, about 150 dock workers on the West Coast of the United States were tested, of which about 100 were positive!"

This also means that the positive rate of this test has reached 67%. In addition, 80% of the positive patients detected this time are located in Southern California. It is revealed that the confirmed rate is still rising, and workers who are confirmed positive will be isolated.

At present, terminal operators at the Port of Long Beach and Los Angeles said that the impact of the quarantine of dock workers due to infection with the new coronavirus has not been great so far, but the impact is expected to come soon. In addition, according to these companies, the number of confirmed cases reported daily may be underestimated because many workers did not submit nucleic acid test results after the holiday.

In fact, the impact of workers being diagnosed with the virus has already appeared. During one shift on Tuesday, there were about 150 job vacancies at the Port of Southern California , the most serious situation in recent times.

As of January 3, the number of ships anchored near the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach has reached 101. Once more workers are quarantined, the working hours of ships at berths will be extended, and containers will have to be piled up at the docks for a longer time, and the congestion of containers and ships, which had been slightly relieved before, will be further exacerbated.

"The next two weeks are going to be horrific," said Jim McKenna.

The International Warehouse and Longshore Workers Union said: “We are doing our best to keep cargo moving through the ports, but given the severe outbreaks and high mortality rates at the terminals, health and safety remains our top priority.”

As the epidemic in the United States worsens, the already overwhelmed supply chain will most likely deteriorate again. Sellers are reminded here to make corresponding preparations.

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