Gojo Industries, a small family-owned company in Akron, Ohio, that started making hand cleaners in the 1940s and invented Purell in 1988, has significantly increased production in recent weeks, according to Samantha Williams, a spokeswoman.

She added that the current levels of demand, while high, were comparable to past moments, like the SARS epidemic in 2002 and 2003 or even influenza outbreaks.

“We have added shifts and have team members working overtime — in accordance with our plans for situations like this,” she said in a statement.