The annual technology, film, and music conference South by Southwest has been canceled because of the growing coronavirus outbreak.
The event, which brings millions of dollars and thousands of people into the city of Austin, Texas, will not be held this year. It was scheduled from March 13 to 22, but the organizers said Austin canceled the dates, and SXSW would “faithfully follow the City’s directions.”
“We are devastated to share this news with you,” SXSW said in a statement. “‘The show must go on’ is in our DNA, and this is the first time in 34 years that the March event will not take place. We are now working through the ramifications of this unprecedented situation.”
“This situation has evolved rapidly, and we honor and respect the City of Austin’s decision. We are committed to do our part to help protect our staff, attendees, and fellow Austinites,” the statement added.
An Update on SXSW 2020. Please read our full statement here: https://t.co/P56nF8KFmE pic.twitter.com/ouJPKM9GNy
— SXSW (@sxsw) March 6, 2020
The decision comes as cases of COVID-19 infections have risen dramatically across the United States. As of Friday, there have been 260 confirmed cases and 14 deaths. In Texas, there have been five cases, although none have been reported in Austin.
Total infections of the illness, which originated in central China, surpassed 100,000 on Friday, with total deaths nearing 3,500.
