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Official Counter-Strike, Overwatch League and Pokémon events have been cancelled due to the coronavirus, and the outbreak has also affected production of the Nintendo Switch in China (via Eurogamer).
— Overwatch League (@overwatchleague) January 30, 2020
The League of Legends Pacific championship series will be postponed indefinitely as a result of the risk posed to players and operational staff, and “travel restrictions that have been implemented to mitigate the spread of the virus.” There virus has spread from its epicentre in the city of Wuhan to every region in mainland China, with currently approximately 6,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in China, and 68 cases recorded in 15 other countries. Other organisations have followed suit, with the Hong Kong Pokémon Video Game Championship called off and the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive WESG Asia-Pacific Finals no longer being held in Macau. In addition, the coronavirus outbreak has caused issues for the production of the Nintendo Switch in China, as stated by Nintendo CEO Shuntaro Furukawa.
Coronaviruses are commonplace, and most people have had a coronavirus before. They cause mild to moderate respiratory issues, which may be exacerbated for people with weakened immune systems, children, and the elderly. The one that has broken out in China is the novel coronavirus, because it does not match any existing virus, and researchers are working to understand the virus and produce a vaccine.
