COVID-19 Outbreak Forces Facebook To Call Off Global Marketing Summit

Facebook has called off its global marketing meetup due to the recent coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The summit was scheduled to take place at Moscone Center, San Francisco in March.

Close to 4000 people were expected to participate in Facebook’s Global Marketing Summit this March. But the California-based tech giant canceled the massive event because of public health issues related to coronavirus.

“Our priority is the health and safety of our teams, so out of an abundance of caution, we canceled our Global Marketing Summit due to evolving public health risks related to coronavirus,” a Facebook spokesperson told The Verge.

Like Facebook, several tech events and summits are being canceled by the organizers as coronavirus continues to spread and take lives.

Recently, the GSM Association canceled the much-awaited Mobile World Congress (MWC). The event was scheduled between Feb. 24 to Feb. 27 in Barcelona.

“With due regard to the safe and healthy environment in Barcelona and the host country today, the GSMA has canceled 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. The Host City Parties respect and understand this decision. 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,” John Hoffman, CEO of GSMA, said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the National Health Commission of China has confirmed 143 more deaths and 2641 fresh cases of coronavirus as of Feb. 14. The toll stands at 1523 and Hubei province is the worst affected area in China.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is looking for additional information from China concerning the big numbers of health workers getting infected because of the coronavirus. It was reported that 1760 health workers were tested positive. This is the first time China has shared the exact numbers of health workers diagnosed with coronavirus.