People wearing a protective facemask to protect against the COVID-19 coronavirus walk past an Apple store (top L) and a Nike shop (top R) outside of a nearly empty shopping mall, minutes after rush hour, in Beijing on February 24, 2020. – The novel coronavirus has spread to more than 25 countries since it emerged in December and is causing mounting alarm due to new outbreaks in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. (Photo by NICOLAS ASFOURI / AFP)
Multinational sporting goods seller Nike will close its stores in the US, Canada, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand for 11 days starting Monday in response to the coronavirus pandemic, it said in a statement received Sunday by AFP.
Nike stores in South Korea, Japan and much of China will remain open, however, the statement said.
It added that its online sales would continue as usual.
On Friday, the company had encouraged its US-based employees to work from home if possible. Nike has roughly 25,000 employees in the United States and more than 70,000 worldwide.