The outbreak of Corona virus in China has resulted in most mining equipment suppliers delaying delivery to their customers. ASIC miner manufacturers such as Ebang and Microbt sent messages through the companies’ Wechat channels announcing that orders would be delayed due to the outbreak.

In a release by Microbt on January 29, the company said they would be complying with Guangdong provincial government regulations by delaying shipment of their Whatsminers. The Coronavirus is a contagious respiratory disease that affects animals and rarely transferred to people. But when it infects human it causes acute flu-like symptoms.

Aside Microbt, Ebang also issued a statement stating that orders would be delayed until February 9. There are indications that after the announcement that other miner manufacturers in China such as Bitmain and Innosilicon would tow the same approach.

There is presently no vaccine to tackle the virus which has caused the entire city of Wuhan to be quarantined. The outbreak is expected to affect the Chinese stock market as well as the coin market. Gold is already up by 30 percent while Bitcoin has had its best January in 7 years.

With the delay in the shipment of mining equipment, the hashrate of Bitcoin would also be affected. It is left to be seen what impact it would have on hashrate which would ordinarily have risen in the weeks before the halving.

China is haven to ASIC manufacturers like Ebang, Bitmain, Microbt and Innosilicon which have announced their next generation miners. It is now clear that if the Guangdong provincial government is unable to curtail the spread of the virus, moving these miners into the market may take a while.

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