The Largest Mobile Show, MWC canceled over Coronavirus Fears

MWC 2020 Canceled

The world’s largest trade show, MWC Barcelona (or Mobile World Congress) is now officially canceled. Due to the deadly coronavirus outbreak in China, the MWC 2020 is not happening now over health concerns. The official closure statement comes after when a wide range of companies started canceling their appearance on the show this year.

GSM Association (or GSMA for short) previously issued two separate statements last week. Where in the first statement, the association expressed their regret for Ericsson’s decision not to attend the event. However, it maintained that there will be no impact on the event while it urged the exhibitors to implement appropriate guidelines and protocols as suggested by WHO (World Health Organisation).

In the second press statement, the association issued a couple of advisory notes for the participants. That included the restriction to enter the event for the travelers from Hubei province of China. It further added the requirement of a health certificate.

MWC 2020 Hygiene Recommendation

GSMA was previously setting up with such health-conscious notes

The third and final statement of the association revealed that the event has been officially canceled.

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.

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.

Well, that was bound to happen when multiple exhibitors had already canceled their attendance at the event. LG and ZTE canceled their press events earlier this month following Erricson. The list wasn’t short of names that decided to pull out of MWC 2020. Sony, Intel, Vivo, Nvidia, Nokia, HMD, Cisco, and Amazon, all canceled their appearances.

Update: 14-02-2020

The coronavirus infections have reached 59,882 in China at the time of writing. 445 cases confirmed outside China. 1,368 have died in China including one in Hong Kong. One died outside China. Recovered patients count over 5,911, however, health experts have warned that recovered patients may reinfect. Human-to-human transmission is already confirmed, while there is no confirmation of airborne transmission as reported by some publishes.