SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted on Monday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus.
This announcement comes after that The Tesla factory in Shanghai has faced restrictions on its operation in China due to the spread of the Corona virus in the city, as it will suspend production for 4 days. Until April 1, next.
Covid-19 is the virus of Theseus.
How many gene changes before it’s not Covid-19 anymore?
I supposedly have it again (sigh), but almost no symptoms.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 28, 2022
Musk questioned the test results, and wrote today, Monday, “Covid-19 is the Theseus virus (to compare with one of the legendary heroes of Athens). There are almost no symptoms.” Musk offered no explanation for how he tested it, or why he had any reason to doubt the results.
Musk has a history of downplaying the new Corona virus and rejecting statements by health officials.
In February 2020, when Covid began to affect the United States, Musk mistakenly estimated that the virus would be gone by April 2020. By November 2020, he had tested positive for the virus.
As the number of Covid-19 was rising in California in April 2020, Musk called the health restrictions an “outbreak” during a conference call with shareholders about the company’s earnings.
The CEO has kept his company’s plant in Fremont, California running despite health authorities’ demands, but has not faced any repercussions from the state or Alameda County.
Tesla’s position in China is much more cooperative. Archyde.com said that a Tesla spokesperson made it clear that the company was striving “to fulfill its epidemic prevention responsibilities and believed that Shanghai’s anti-corona measures helped lay the foundation for the city’s future development.”
Tesla delivered 473,078 electric cars made in Shanghai to customers in 2021, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association. It now produces Model 3 and Model Y cars, and sells them in China and abroad to customers in Europe and throughout Asia.
Despite production challenges and Musk’s infection with the Corona virus, Tesla shares rose more than 8%, as of mid-day trading on Monday, after the company announced plans to split shares again.