South Africa's Woolworths to close all Country Road stores in Australia amid coronavirus

South Africa's Woolworths Holdings has temporarily closed all Country Road Group stores in Australia for four weeks and would stand down 5,000 employees there who will not be paid during the period, in a bid to restrict the spread of the coronavirus.

David Jones, its upmarket department chain in Australia, will keep its large format physical stores open "as long as we are confident that we can operate our stores safely and to the standards required by all current government health and safety directives," Woolworths Spokeswoman Kirsten Hewett said in an emailed response to questions on Tuesday.