ANKARA

European aerospace manufacturer Airbus on Tuesday decided to temporarily pause production and assembly activities at its facilities in France and Spain.

The move came after the implementation of new measures in the two countries to stem the spread of the coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19.

This will allow sufficient time to implement stringent health and safety conditions in terms of hygiene, cleaning and self-distancing, while improving the efficiency of operations under the new working conditions, a company statement said.

The aviation giant will continue to maximize homeworking wherever possible, the statement added.

Airbus, employing a workforce of around 135,000, is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. 

The number of confirmed cases in Spain reached 11,178 and the country reported 491 deaths in total, according to the Spanish Health Ministry on Tuesday.

Spain, the world’s fourth-worst affected country by the virus, has been on full lockdown since Saturday night.