Many more Pride events are likely to follow.
Organisers of Pride events in Los Angeles, Miami and Fort Lauderdale have been forced to postpone the events in the wake of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
Los Angeles Pride, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, was planning an expansion to its scheduled 12 to 14 June dates, but has now postponed.
In a statement posted on Twitter, organisers said: “Due to the concerns of COVID-19, CSW will postpone all events related to the 50th Anniversary of LA Pride that were scheduled for June 2020.
“Organizers are assessing the situation. More information to be provided around the postponement as details become available.”
Organisers for Miami Beach Pride, which is held from 28 March to 5 April, confirmed that a flag raising ceremony at the City Hall, a remembrance event for the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting and a pop-up art exhibition would continue as normal, but all other events would be postponed.
In a statement, they said: “Upon further collaboration today with the mayor of Miami Beach and our health-related partners, the board of directors of Miami Beach Pride has announced the rescheduling of the 2020 Pride event.
“The decision was based on safeguarding the health of the event’s guests, sponsors, volunteers, staff and community-at-large.”
Organisers for Fort Lauderdale Pride, which was hosting the first Pride of the Americas from between 21 and 26 April, have also postponed the event until the autumn.
In a statement, organiser Miik Martorell said: “This is obviously a disappointing blow to the entire Pride Fort Lauderdale team, our sponsors and partners.
“However, the safety of the public is always our utmost concern.”
The ongoing coronavirus outbreak is causing lots of cancellations in global sporting events, like football, Formula 1 and rugby. However, it has also cancelled the rest of Madonna’s Madame X tour, RuPaul’s DragCon LA and the GLAAD Media Awards, while delaying several Disney films like the live-action remake of Mulan and The New Mutants.
The coronavirus outbreak was labelled a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) earlier this week.
WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus revealed that the number of cases of the coronavirus outside China had increased 13-fold in two weeks, and said he was “deeply concerned” by “alarming levels of inaction”.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it has been “the worst public health crisis for a generation” and that cases will “rise sharply”, and further warned that “many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time.”
Related: LGBTQ people are more vulnerable to coronavirus for three reasons
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