Just one week before the Overwatch League's third season is due to begin, the Shanghai Dragons announced that they are moving players and staff from China to South Korea thanks to the coronavirus outbreak. This makes them the second team to relocate out of the country after fellow Chinese competitor Guangzhou Charge announced they would be leaving yesterday.
Releasing a statement on Twitter to worried fans, the team said that: "Our priority is to ensure the safety of all our players and staff along with providing the best possible environment for them to practice in. As such, after taking into consideration our match and practice schedule, we will be temporarily relocating all our players and coaching staff to Korea effective immediately."
This news doesn't just raise concerns over their wellbeing, but also the Overwatch League itself. Shanghai Dragons are still due to play their first match against Chengdu Hunters on February 15 in Shanghai despite the outbreak, with no announcement over a delay or cancellation from either team yet.
They did comment on the speculation in the same tweet, however, stating that they have "maintained close contact with the league throughout these past few weeks" and hope to provide updates soon.
So far, the Coronavirus virus outbreak has caused 106 confirmed deaths and over 4,500 infections. In lighter upcoming events, the Overwatch League's third season will begin on February 8 at 18:00 (GMT) with a match between Toronto Defiant and Paris Eternal.
