Wuhan coronavirus outbreak causes Huawei to postpone developer conference

Tech companies have been scrambling to respond to the rapid spread of the deadly Wuhan coronavirus through China that’s already infected hundreds of people. Huawei’s developer conference is the latest casualty of efforts to avoid large gatherings in the country.

The conference, which the company calls its flagship event for IT developers, was scheduled to take place in Huawei’s hometown of Shenzhen on February 11th and 12th. It’s now been postponed until March 27th and 28th, the company announced online. “We attach great importance to the health and safety of all participants,” Huawei said.

The spread of the new virus has already had an impact on China’s tech companies in a number of ways. Ecommerce sites have sought to stop price hikes on medical masks and disinfectant, and travel and movie ticket booking sites have offered refunds. Even Tencent announced that CEO Pony Ma isn’t handing out traditional red envelopes with cash to employees this Chinese New Year to avoid a large gathering.