A meeting of international leaders that had been scheduled for this month in Downtown Pittsburgh instead will take place by teleconference in light of the coronavirus outbreak, according to a State Department spokeswoman.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the United States has decided to host the upcoming #G7 ministerial virtually by video teleconference instead of gathering in Pittsburgh,” Morgan Ortagus tweeted Wednesday. “We thank the city of Pittsburgh for its willingness to host this year’s G7 ministerial.”
Out of an abundance of caution, the United States has decided to host the upcoming #G7 ministerial virtually by video teleconference instead of gathering in Pittsburgh, March 24-25. We thank the city of Pittsburgh for its willingness to host this year’s G7 ministerial.
The meeting previously scheduled for March 24-25 at the Omni William Penn Hotel was to include foreign ministers of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Canada. It is in advance of June’s Group of Seven summit at Camp David in Maryland.
Pittsburgh officials had been preparing for the meeting since November, and Mayor Bill Peduto said coronavirus would be a subject of discussion.
The summit is the latest cancellation of a public event in the city in light of the coronavirus. Earlier Wednesday, city officials announced the St. Patrick’s Day parade, set for Saturday, was canceled.
