The immediate health threat of COVID-19 is upon us and industry sectors are already feeling the pain.

COVID-19, declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, has caused more than 6,500 deaths globally. There are many more up to date and reliable sources to turn to for general information on the outbreak, but I thought it would be valuable to provide some observations about industries impacted such as manufacturing, sports and recreation, healthcare, food, and health. The following observations gleaned from articles and posts today were compiled by the intelligence team at @FINN Partners.

Manufacturing

The impact of COVID-19 is felt in the manufacturing industry in and outside China. The outbreak has caused China to shut down its manufacturing centers and close its ports. China being part of the worldwide supply chain, closure of its manufacturing centers is causing supply chain disruptions in the market. Multinational companies are experiencing delays, shortages in raw materials, skyrocketing costs, and reduced orders. These setbacks are negatively impacting manufacturing plants across the globe. Countries in the global market that depend on China for raw materials in their manufacturing sectors are closing down.

Transportation restrictions in the affected countries are impacting production in manufacturing plants and the supply of raw materials for manufacturing. 

Sports and Recreation

Cancellation of matches and suspension of recreation activities is an indication of the effect of COVID-19 on the sports and recreation industry. The pandemic has seen many matches and events postponed, canceled, or staged behind closed doors.  In the US, NBA basketball season was suspended after Rudy Gobert, a player of Utah Jazz, tested positive for the COVID-19. In China, where the outbreak started, the Chinese football's Super Leagueremains postponed. Responses from European football have increased after people like Olympiakos' owner Evangelos Marinakis tested positive for COVID-19. UEFA Champions League matches have been staged behind closed doors. The sports industry is likely to experience overcrowding of events and congestion of venues following the massive postponements many events and matches. Sports managers are likely to start from the drawing board in their sporting arrangements and logistics, such as drawing fixtures following the disruptions that the pandemic has caused.

Sports organizations are taking drastic measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 among players and fans.

Operations in parks and recreational centers have been crippled. For instance, Seattle Parks & Recreation closed all reaction facilities such as pools and community centers until April 13.

Food

The pandemic has caused increased pressure on the food industry as there is a rise in panic purchases, particularly foodstuffs, to ensure adequate household stocks. More labor-intensive meals are not preferred in the menu because many people are spending indoors and working from home. The demand for in-home food and beverages has increased significantly, leading to a rise in consumption and pantry stocking. As travel reduces and more people work from home, out-of-home food consumption is likely to take a hit. The food industry segment of online shopping and home delivery is expanding. This is the case because people are avoiding going to places with big gatherings.

The food industry, particularly in the highly hit countries, is facing shortages because of the disrupted logistics chain. Such a situation is likely to cause surging food prices.

The pandemic is likely to soften private consumption spending because households are becoming more precautionary, and there are limited alternatives due to facility closures.

Food centers are closing down do avoid huge gatherings of people. McDonald's in the US has announced that it will close seating areas in restaurants because of the pandemic.

Travel

Activities in the travel and tourism industry have declined because various countries have advised travelers to cancel non-essential travel to mostly hit countries like China and Italy. In APAC, the CDC has made this recommendation with a level 3 warning. The travel intent is varying by region, and travel patterns are changing. Flight searches are effective pointers of intent or desire of leisure travelers to travel to destinations. The flight searches to Western Europe have taken a dip following the growth of the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy. The campaign by countries to have their citizens to seek safety far away from the source of the outbreak has seen a sudden increase in flight searches from countries in the East and Southern Asia. There has been resilience in the travel intent to Australia and New Zealand with a substantial uptick since the COVID-19. The abrupt increase in flight searches to Australia could be because of the Australian government's launched campaign to target Asian travelers. Travel intent to the US and domestic travels within the country has indicated increased stability since the COVID-19 outbreak.

Airline traffic is way down because countries like Italy are on a lock down.

Transportation restrictions have caused a reduction in travel and tourist activities. Enterprises linked to travel and tourism are experiencing losses that possibly cannot be recovered.

Healthcare

COVID-19 is a humanitarian challenge that has affected communities and requires healthcare intervention. Health systems in most hit countries are overstretched. Health systems in Wuhan and Hubei require time and assistance to regain a semblance of normalcy.

The unexpected surge in the number of positive cases in Milan, Italy, is putting huge pressure on the country's healthcare system, which is almost facing a breakdown.

Health care workers are experiencing elevated risks of exposure to COVID-19, even as they heroically battle the virus. Some health practitioners have died due to the infection while in the line of duty.