Tesla Fremont plant sees spike in coronavirus 'exposure,' report says

When it comes to the coronavirus, Elon Musk's sustained incompetence long ago took a turn for the dangerous. Now, an internal data leak from the Fremont Tesla plant brings into focus just how badly the billionaire's tantrum has backfired — even if only on his employees.

According to Electrek, which got its hands on internal reporting from Tesla, over 1,550 employees have been "affected" by COVID-19 cases, and over 130 have been infected with the coronavirus. What's more, "'exposure' among employees at Fremont factory has been spiking in the last two weeks," reports the publication.

This is doubly notable, as Musk reopened the Fremont Tesla factory in defiance of Alameda County orders in May. The plant had initially shut down in March, following a shelter-in-place order.

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This is not the first time we've heard of infected workers at the Fremont plant, but the data published by Electrek suggests the scale of the problem is larger than previously known. In early June, we learned that several employees at the Fremont factory were missing work due to the coronavirus.

It's important to note — as Electrek does in its reporting of the story — that the over 1,550 "affected" employees are not necessarily infected with the coronavirus. Rather, it's likely these are employees who have been exposed to other employees infected with the coronavirus.

Still, that's not exactly good. What's more, Electrek reports that an unnamed employee told the publication Musk himself was spotted touring the production line unmasked in June.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's coronavirus self-own to go down in the history of self-owns

Perhaps that alleged mask-less stroll occurred when Musk made his apparently "fondest Tesla memory" of the year. That would be, according to a July 14 tweet from the CEO, "The strength & perseverance of the people of Tesla, despite facing extreme difficulties[.]"

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We can't help but think that, maybe, just maybe, those difficulties would have been a little less extreme if the employees at Tesla had a leader less concerned with his own ego and more willing to listen to the actual experts.