Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Thursday that the coronavirus outbreak in China will help “accelerate the return of jobs to North America.”

“Well, first of all, every American's heart has to go out to the victims of the coronavirus. So, I don't want to talk about a victory lap over a very unfortunate, very malignant disease. But the fact is, it does give businesses yet another thing to consider when they go through their review of their supply chain,” Ross said during an interview with Fox Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo.


In response to a question about how temporarily closed businesses and suspended flights will affect the global economy, Ross said companies will need to look elsewhere after halting operations in China.

“On top of all the other things, because you had SARS, you had the African Swine virus there, now you have this,” Ross said. “It’s another risk factor that people need to take into account. So, I think it will help accelerate the return of jobs to North America, some to the U.S., probably some to Mexico as well.”

The virus has killed more than 100 people and sickened thousands, and while the cases are mostly concentrated in China, it has been detected in more than a dozen other countries, including the U.S.

President Donald Trump has stayed relatively quiet about the global outbreak, tweeting only a few times about the virus. The White House announced Wednesday night that the president had formed a Wuhan coronavirus task force, headed by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar.


“We are in very close communication with China concerning the virus,” Trump tweeted on Monday. “Very few cases reported in USA, but strongly on watch. We have offered China and President Xi any help that is necessary. Our experts are extraordinary!”