Originally scheduled for next week, VIV MEA in Abu Dhabi has now been postponed to August 31-September 2, 2020, based on the risk assessment given in the latest WHO report on the virus outbreak.
“This decision has been taken after careful consideration and in the interest of exhibitors and visitors and, above all, to protect the health of all attendees
“Despite the fact that the UAE remains open for travel and has employed the strictest medical and hygiene protocols the majority of the exhibitors agreed that the postponement of the event is the best solution and have therefore confirmed the decision to move their participation,” said the VIV MEA management team.
The VICTAM and Animal Health and Nutrition Asia 2020 in Bangkok has also been put back a few months, it will run from July 9-11, instead of March 24-26, 2020.
The management teams from the VICTAM Corporation and VIV worldwide also based their decision on the WHO virus threat update. They said the quality of the event would be undermined if it went ahead this month. There would not be “enough business opportunities for our exhibitors and visitors under the current circumstances.”
Another animal health related event, happening very soon, is the 12th European Symposium of Porcine Health Management (ESPHM 2020), scheduled for April 29-May 1, which last time out attracted up to nearly 1,600 attendees.
The organizers say preparation is well on track and that they do not intend to cancel the event. In case of any change that might force postponement or cancellation, they will notify participants and delegates immediately, added the team behind the symposium.
There are now more than 98,000 coronaviruses cases globally and over 3,300 people have died, since the outbreak officially took hold in late December, according to a Reuters report.
The COVID-19 virus causes flu-like symptoms before potentially resulting in difficulty breathing and it has infected people across 47 countries.