ESPOO (dpa-AFX) - The organizers of Mobile World Congress expo in Barcelona, Spain have canceled the tech event due to the coronavirus outbreak.
'With due regard to the safe and healthy environment in Barcelona and the host country today, the GSMA has cancelled MWC Barcelona 2020 because the global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak, travel concern and other circumstances, make it impossible for the GSMA to hold the event,' GSMA CEO John Hoffman announced in a statement.
Mobile World Congress event is held annually in Barcelona. This year's event was scheduled to take place on February 24-27, 2020.
GSMA had previously issued a number of measures to try to lower the risk of corona virus, including a no-handshake policy at the show and more aggressive hygiene measures around speaker microphones and demo booths. The expo usually draws more than 100,000 attendees and over 2,400 companies.
However, several major tech companies withdrew from the expo, including LG Electronics, ZTE, Ericsson, Nokia, Amazon, Facebook, Sony, Intel, and Cisco, pointing out the threat of the corona virus.
'The GSMA and the Host City Parties will continue to be working in unison and supporting each other for MWC Barcelona 2021 and future editions. Our sympathies at this time are with those affected in China, and all around the world,' Hoffman added.
Cronavirus outbreak, which began in the Chinese city of Wuhan, have made more than 42,000 people sick with the total number of deaths at more than 1,000. Most infections and deaths have been reported in Wuhan and the surrounding Hubei Province in China, but at least 25 countries have now reported cases.
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