Coronavirus outbreak impact: Ericsson pulls out of MWC 2020, says safety of employees highest priority

LONDON: Swedish telecom gear maker Ericsson on Friday pulled out of international industry event GSMA Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2020 due to outbreak of novel coronavirus across several countries and continued spreading of the infection. The death toll in China’s novel coronavirus epidemic has risen to 636 with 73 new mortalities reported, mostly from the worst-affected Hubei province, while the total number of confirmed cases has crossed 31,000.

“Following the outbreak and continued spreading of the novel coronavirus, Ericsson has closely monitored the development and adhered to recommendations from relevant national authorities and international bodies, such as the WHO. After an extensive internal risk assessment, Ericsson has decided to take further precautionary measures by withdrawing from MWC Barcelona 2020, the largest event in the telecom industry,” Ericsson said in a statement.