Eurovision canceled due to coronavirus

European officials announced the cancellation of the annual, internationally televised Eurovision Song Contest on Wednesday, citing the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

In a statement on Twitter, the European Broadcasting Union said that it was “impossible to continue with the live event as planned” due to restrictions placed on citizens by European governments to help control the pandemic.

Organizers “will continue a conversation regarding the hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021,” the statement added.

Eurovision, a widely viewed international singing contest that brings together teams from across Europe and parts of Asia, was to be hosted this year in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, with the finals scheduled for May 16.

Schools, bars and restaurants in the Netherlands have been closed by officials attempting to stop the disease from spreading while the European Union has also implemented travel restrictions.

More than 2,000 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the Netherlands, while Europe at large is experiencing multiple regional outbreaks. In Italy, the number of confirmed cases has soared past 30,000 as officials struggle to contain the worst outbreak outside of China, where the virus is thought to have originated.