G-7 foreign ministers to meet virtually amid coronavirus outbreak

Source: Politico | March 11, 2020 | Nahal Toosi

The U.S. was set to host this year’s meeting on March 24-25 in Pittsburgh.

This year’s gathering of G-7 foreign ministers will be held by video teleconference instead of in-person, the State Department announced Wednesday, as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases surpasses 1,000 in the United States.

The U.S. was set to host this year’s meeting on March 24-25 in Pittsburgh, Pa. There are 15 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the state, according to an unofficial tally by The New York Times.

The ministerial is one of a growing number of gatherings across the world that are being canceled, postponed or switched in format. The decision also reflects warnings from public health officials that the virus will spread more widely in the United States before leveling off.

The decision was made “out of an abundance of caution,” State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said, though she did not explicitly cite the coronavirus as a reason. She also thanked the city of Pittsburgh for its willingness to host.

The ministerial virtual gathering is set to precede a summit of the leaders of G-7 countries in June at Camp David, the famed presidential retreat. There was no immediate word on whether that gathering will be changed in any way.

The G-7 consists of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Canada.

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