Yahoo News Coronavirus fears hit PAX East 2020 as Sony pull out of gaming event
Coronavirus, the flu-type virus which is spreading across the globe, is starting to impact the video game industry as Sony has announced it will no longer attend the first major gaming event of 2020 - PAX East in Boston, MA - next week as a result.
Sony, the creators of the PlayStation console, explained the decision in a blog post, saying: "We felt this was the safest option as the situation is changing daily. We are disappointed to cancel our participation in this event, but the health and safety of our global workforce is our highest concern."
The first public hands-on demo for its new game, The Last of Us 2, was set to debut at the exhibition.
An outbreak of a new pneumonia-like strain of coronavirus, called Covid-19, was first detected in Wuhan, China at the end of 2019. At least one case of the coronavirus has been confirmed in Boston.
The World Health Organisation declared a Public Health Emergency in January 2020.
Scientists have said it has similarities to two viruses, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), both of which turned into global killers.
Health authorities have warned the virus could mutate and spread further and many countries are bringing in screening processes amid concern of a global epidemic.
Elsewhere in the world, two passengers from a cruise ship that was quarantined in Japan have died after contracting the virus.
News of the deaths come after it was confirmed British nationals who were stranded on the vessel will be flown home on an evacuation flight on Friday.
Apple has also warned customers of global "iPhone supply shortages" after its factories and stores closed in China amid the outbreak.
Other cancellations or event delays due to the concerns of the virus include the Mobile World Congress (MWC). The world's biggest mobile trade show was set to take place in Barcelona between February 24-27 but was cancelled last week entirely over fears of the virus spreading.
As of February, the number of people killed by coronavirus is at 1,113, while 44,653 people have contracted the infection.
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