Listen Live
Apple Store Front

Source: (Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images) / (Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

Apple is closing more than 20 retail stores across the southern region of the U.S. due to COVID-19 spikes.

The tech giant said all of the stores in North Carolina, five in Georgia, and about a dozen retail locations in Texas would soon be shutting their doors.

According to Bloomberg, Apple previously closed stores in Dallas and Fort Worth with those in Houston, San Antonio and Austin going away as well.

Apple’s website says the stores are closing as of Saturday (1/16), but said customers with products under repair will have an opportunity to pick them up.

“Due to current COVID-19 conditions in some of the communities we serve, we are temporarily closing stores in these areas,” Apple said in a statement. “We take this step with an abundance of caution as we closely monitor the situation, and we look forward to having our teams and customers back as soon as possible.”

Currently, North Carolina’s rate of positive COVID-19 cases is at 17% with a daily record being set last week.

The five stores closing in The Tar Heel State are in Charlotte (South Park & North Lake), Greensboro (Friendly Center), Durham (Southpoint), and Raleigh (Crabtree).