FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Daimler is suspending production at its plants in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and Charleston, South Carolina for two weeks starting today, it said.

“Management is monitoring the situation continually and will take further measures if needed. Business will resume once the situation has improved,” the German carmaker, which owns the Mercedes-Benz brand, said in a statement on Tuesday.

Earlier this month the company said it would suspend most of its production in Europe for two weeks in an effort to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.