Google Cloud is postponing the online streaming version of its Google Cloud Next mega-conference, just about two weeks after it cancelled the in-person version, as coronavirus continues to spread.
"Google Cloud has decided to postpone Google Cloud Next '20: Digital Connect out of concern for the health and safety of our customers, partners, employees and local communities, and based on recent decisions made by the federal and local governments regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19)," Google Cloud's chief marketing officer Alison Wagonfeld said in a blog post.
"Right now, the most important thing we can do is focus our attention on supporting our customers, partners, and each other."
The conference was supposed to take place April 6 to 8 in San Francisco, and drew over 30,000 attendees last year., The company originally said it would instead host a digital version of the conference. Google Cloud said it would announce the new date of the digital conference at a later time.
On Monday, six Bay Area counties, including San Francisco and Santa Clara County where Google's campus is located, announced a "shelter in place" order in effect until April 7 in an attempt to help contain the spread of coronavirus in the area. Under this order, most businesses will close, and people are to avoid contact with others for as much as possible, although grocery stores and other "essential" businesses will remain open.
Worldwide, there have beenover 190,000 cases and over 7,500 deaths from COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus. These cancellations highlight the disruption it has caused businesses worldwide.
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