Cosmetics trade show Cosmoprof Bologna has been postponed amid the spread of the the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) in Northern Italy.
The industry calendar staple was due to take place from 12-16 March but will now be held from 11-15 June, after fears surrounding the outbreak of the virus continue to mount.
Gianpiero Calzolari, President of BolognaFiere, which organises the exhibition, said: “The latest news concerning novel coronavirus in Italy have forced us to review our positions.
“In agreement with the Regional Government of Emilia Romagna and with the Municipality of Bologna, we have assessed the situation, and postponing the event is currently the most correct solution, to support Italian institutions engaged today in protecting our health.”
The trade show is expected to attract 3,000 exhibitors and 265,000 operators at the Fiera Bologna exhibition centre, located in the Fiera business district of Bologna.
Enrico Zannini, General Manager of BolognaFiere Cosmoprof, added: “I would like to thank our exhibitors and our partners for their understanding in the latest weeks, due to the complicated scenario in which we are involved.
“Thanks to the collaboration of the entire industry, our event in June will be a key moment for our sector.”
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Over the weekend, the number of people infected with the coronavirus spiked from three on Friday morning to more than 200 by Monday in Italy.
At the time of writing, there are 232 confirmed cases in the country and seven people have died.
The Northern region of Lombardy has been hit hardest, with the city of Milan, alongside 11 other Italian towns, now on lockdown.
Globally, the coronavirus has infected 80,248 people and claimed 2,704 lives, although 27,777 have made a total recovery.
Yesterday, it was announced that Luxe Pack Shanghai had been postponed to July, while earlier in the month PCHi rescheduled its Shanghai-based trade show until June.