Page 9 - aruba-today-20200213

A9
WORLD NEWS Thursday 13 February 2020

Virus worries force cancellation of major tech show in Spain

By KELVIN CHAN and MAE have estimated the show
ANDERSON was to generate 473 mil-
AP Business Writers lion euros ($516 million) and
LONDON (AP) — Organiz- more than 14,000 part-time
ers of the world's biggest jobs for the local economy.
mobile technology fair are Spain's vice president, Car-
pulling the plug over wor- men Calvo, said there was
ries about the viral out- "no public health reason" to
break from China. call off the show. She said
The annual Mobile World Spain had a good health
Congress will no longer be response system and was
held as planned in Barce- following all of the recom-
lona, Spain, on Feb. 24-27. mendations from the World
"Global concern regarding Health Organization.
the coronavirus outbreak, Dr. Mike Ryan, the WHO's
travel concern and other emergencies chief, said
circumstances, make it im- before the cancellation
possible for the GSMA to that the show could have
hold the event," John Hoff- gone on.
man, head of the GSMA He said that while no mass
organizing body, said in a gathering is ever risk-free,
statement Wednesday. with the potential for food
The decision comes after poisoning, injuries or build-
dozens of tech compa- ing collapse, most events In this Feb. 25, 2019 photo, attendees walk to enter at the Mobile World Congress wireless show,
nies and wireless carriers "can continue if the proper in Barcelona, Spain. Organizers of the world’s biggest mobile technology fair are pulling the plug
dropped out, with the latest measures can be applied." over worries about the viral outbreak from China. Associated Press
cancelations by Nokia, Vo- Spanish labor unions said
dafone, Deutsche Telekom that the show was called uct launch events anyway, draw "after a full assess- to undergo a two-week
and Britain's BT on Wednes- off due to the panic of the as Samsung did Tuesday ment of the risks related self-quarantine period.
day. Other companies that major technological com- in San Francisco. But Baja- to a fast-moving situation." Organizers were caught
dropped out earlier include panies. The CCOO union's rin said Mobile World Con- The company said "the between risking poten-
Ericsson, Nokia, Sony, Ama- regional leader, Javier Pa- gress was still an opportu- health and well-being of tial backlash over public
zon, Intel and LG. The com- checo, denounced "the nity for many people in the employees was a primary health concerns if they
panies cited concerns for alarmist attitude of the mobile industry to meet in focus" and that canceling went ahead or facing big
the safety of staff and visi- technological companies one place. The GSMA, the its involvement was a "pru- financial losses if they can-
tors. that from their position of wireless trade body that or- dent decision." celed, said Stephen Mears,
Organizers and govern- global supremacy don't ganizes the fair, had said it The departures of Nokia a research analyst at Fu-
ment officials had sought care about the local im- was meeting regularly with and Ericsson had left Chi- turesource Consulting.
to hold out against grow- pact." global and Spanish health na's Huawei, a major spon- Even before the cancella-
ing pressure to cancel the But Tim Bajarin, president of experts and its partners sor of the fair, as the only tion, Mears said his five-per-
annual tech extravaganza, consultancy Creative Strat- to ensure the well-being remaining major network son team was considering
which had been expected egies, said cancellation of attendees. It had al- gear maker still planning to dropping out or shortening
to draw more than 100,000 was prudent with all the ready urged participants attend. But even Huawei the trip as many partici-
visitors from about 200 unknowns surrounding how to avoid handshakes and was scaling back by as- pants they wanted to meet
countries, including 5,000 the new virus is spread and planned to step up clean- signing European staff to wouldn't be there, includ-
to 6,000 from China. The the fact that many com- ing and disinfecting and the show instead. Its chair- ing those from China, which
show normally represents panies had already pulled make sure speakers don't man had planned to hold accounts for an increasing
a huge source of revenue out. use the same microphone. a media briefing by video share of the global smart-
for hotels, restaurants and These days, most big com- Earlier Wednesday, Nokia because he wouldn't get phone and mobile network
taxi companies. Authorities panies hold their own prod- said it had decided to with- to Spain with enough time industry.q