MWC 2020 has been cancelled over health concerns caused by the deadly coronavirus outbreak, says Bloomberg. The global smartphone industry’s biggest annual trade show won’t happen this year, following intense debate and multiple big names pulling out of the event citing health risks.

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John Hoffman, the CEO of GSMA, reportedly said in a statement that the ongoing situation created by the coronavirus outbreak has made it impossible to hold the event this year. MWC 2020 was scheduled to kick off in Barcelona February 24 onwards.

Earlier this month, big names like Sony, Vivo, MediaTek, and Nvidia had opted out of MWC 2020 citing health concerns. With the death toll caused by the coronavirus epidemic touching the 1,000 mark, the situation is now grim in China and the industry has come to a screeching halt with a global ripple effect.

[Update]: Official GSMA statement regarding cancellation of MWC 2020

GSMA has released an official statement penned by CEO John Hoffman regarding the cancellation of MWC 2020. Here’s what it says:

“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.”

Source: GSMA