Coronavirus has now infected more than 73,000 people and has a death toll of nearly 2,000.
With the quarantines and travel stoppages in China, local businesses are also being affected, which have global implications.
One implication? A potential stick shortage in the NHL.
NBCSN recently reported that 75 percent of all NHL sticks are made in China, or have parts that come from China. Two of the biggest stick retailers used by the league, CCM and Bauer, have factories based in China that have been closed since January, according to a report from the Associated Press.
Teams are preparing for a shortage. On Hockey Night in Canada this week, it was said that the Flames' equipment staff has already advised players to stop intentionally breaking their sticks in frustration, or giving them away to fans.
Players in the Penguins locker room haven't been affected by the shortage yet, but they're preparing for the potential impact.
"I use Bauer sticks, and our stick guy does a great job at ordering ahead of time," Jared McCann said. "So we have a lot leftover. But when you go through a stick a game, or two sticks a game, it kinds of get short."
While McCann estimates that he usually goes through one stick a game on average, he said that they're going to try to "cut back a bit" on that.
Teddy Blueger uses CCM sticks, and figures he goes through 40 sticks a year, changing them out about every other game.
"I think they've got some sticks in stock here for us," Blueger said. "Depending on how long this holds on it could for sure affect us."
Anthony Angello uses CCM, and said he "probably has enough sticks to survive 'til the end of the year," adding that he got lucky.
Some players, like Marcus Pettersson and Jason Zucker, use Warrior sticks which are produced in Mexico.
"I'm not too worried about it," Zucker said of the shortage.
Other players have been thinking ahead, and figure that if they end up running low on their supply, they can switch to another brand.
"It's not that bad for us, you know?" said Domink Simon, who uses CCM. "There are options. If you don't have sticks from those companies, you could switch to another company. Guys are going to share sticks, maybe it will be even better, you could find some better ones."
Jack Johnson uses Bauer sticks, and doesn't seem happy about the idea of having to switch to another brand, though. He said he's trying to make his remaining sticks "last as long as they can," and estimates that he has enough to get through the regular season. Beyond that, though?
"We're kind of holding our breath to see if we can get more sticks," Johnson said. "Otherwise we might have to switch manufacturers right before playoffs, which is not an ideal situation. I know Warrior is the only other one that is in Mexico, and they're working. I think a lot of us are preparing for the worst and hoping for the best."
Johnson said that the players who use Warrior "rave" about their sticks, and said that some of the players who use some of the affected brands have given one of their custom sticks to Warrior and asked them to try to make a stick as close as they can to it.
"We have to be prepared for anything," Johnson said. "If we have to switch right before playoffs, we have to switch."
In the grand scheme of things, having to switch hockey stick brands is a mild inconvenience compared to the deadly effects coronavirus is having in other parts of the world. But it's an example of how a major health crisis like this can have wide-ranging effects across the globe.
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