Bitcoin Conference May Have Been 'Superspreader' Event

Dozens reportedly test positive after Miami event
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 11, 2021 7:31 AM CDT
Bitcoin Conference May Have Been 'Superspreader' Event
Some 12,000 tickets were sold for the Miami conference.   (YouTube)

A Bitcoin conference in Miami last week was one of the biggest events in the US since the pandemic began—and it may end up serving as a reminder that the pandemic isn't over. There have been reports of dozens of attendees testing positive, with one attendee warning that it may have been a "superspreader event," CNBC reports. The event at the Mana Wynwood convention center, which started June 4, was billed as the biggest cryptocurrency event, and it drew at least 12,000 attendees from all over the world for three days of conferences and parties. No proof of vaccination was required and masks were rarely seen. Part of the event took place outside, but attendees also crowded auditoriums and numerous side events and afterparties, reports Bloomberg.

"Everyone who I hung out with in Miami got covid," tweeted Larry Cernak, research director for crypto news site the Block. "Luckily for me I hung out about one feet above everyone." There has been no comment from the mayor's office, and Florida stopped reporting daily COVID case numbers this week. Organizer BTC Media said the event was held at a time when vaccines had been freely available for months. "We provided all attendees with the current recommendations of the CDC and State of Florida and expressed to our audience that those who were high risk or hadn’t been vaccinated should consider waiting until next year," the organizer said in a statement. (More COVID-19 stories.)

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