The event drew 98,000 attendees last year and, as COVID-19 spreads in Washington state, many are worried that a large public setting such as ECCC may be a breeding ground for infection. Notably, in 2009, PAX, a video gaming convention in Seattle, spread H1N1 virus, or swine flu, to at least 100 attendees. Washington’s Department of Health has already advised people, especially people over 60, to stay away from large gatherings. Yet, ECCC is still happening. – The Stranger