Global worries involving the coronavirus-- aka Covid 19-- not to mention travel concerns and "other circumstances" lead to the cancellation of MWC 2020, the largest mobile trade show in the world.
Originally taking place on 24-27 February 2020, the show attracts over 100000 attendees from 200 countries to Barcelona. Previously the organisers sent a lengthy coronavirus-related email to registered attendees stating it was going to ban travelers from China's Hubei province. It also had plans for temperature screenings, while visitors who have been in China would have to demonstrate proof they have been outside of China for 14 days.
However, despite such attempts to allay concerns many big decided to skip the 2020 show. The first company to do so was LG, with Nvidia and Ericsson following soon afterwards. This lead to other companies doing the same, including Amazon, Deutsche Telekom, Facebook, HMD Global, Intel, Nokia, NTT Docomo, Sony and Sprint. The result is a big blow to the GSMA, not to mention Barcelona, where the show generates no less than 14100 part-time jobs and brings €492 million.
According to the WHO there are currently over 42000 cases of coronavirus, with the death toll reaching 1000. So far most infections and death come from Wuhan and the surrounding Hubei province, but cases have been reported in at least 25 countries.
