Twitter suspends travel as the business world grapples with spreading coronavirus

Dalvin Brown | USA TODAY

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Twitter is one of the latest companies to curb business plans and policies in the wake of coronavirus, which has killed more than 3,000 people globally so far.

The tech giant said Sunday that it is suspending "all nonbusiness travel and events" which includes its participation at the South by Southwest conference in Texas. The annual multiday festival largely centers around entertainment and tech.

"Our goal is to reduce the risk that anyone at Twitter might contract or inadvertently spread the virus," Twitter said in a blog post.

The social networking site is hardly the first to respond to the evolving threat of what has been dubbed "Covid-19" by the World Health Organization.

In fact, it's been a month since WHO declared coronavirus a "public health emergency of international concern" and in that time, the outbreak has disrupted travel worldwide and clobbered the stock market with no immediate end in sight.

The long-term economic impact could be severe, a new study by the economic research firm Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found. In recent weeks, the respiratory illness has also become a central point of discussion during earnings calls as investors try to figure out what it means for their financials.

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It's threatening the supply of goods, as major manufacturing economies like China are largely shut down. It's also impacting consumer demand, with people rushing online for medical masks and hand sanitizer to thwart infection.

Here’s what we know so far about how the latest companies and conferences are responding to the coronavirus fallout:

GDC 2020

On Friday, the Game Developers Conference was postponed after Facebook, Sony and Amazon announced the companies were no longer attending.

The event was scheduled to take place from March 16 - 20, but organizers pushed it back to sometime "later in the summer."

"Having spent the past year preparing for the show with our advisory boards, speakers, exhibitors, and event partners, we're genuinely upset and disappointed not to be able to host you at this time," the company said on its website.

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Geneva Auto Show

Tickets for the Geneva Auto Show are being refunded after the Swiss government banned gatherings of 1,000 people or more on Friday due to coronavirus.

The 90th edition of the motor show was scheduled to start next week. "We regret this situation, but the health of all participants is our and our exhibitors' top priority," organizers wrote on the website.

Louvre Museum

Workers at the popular tourist destination in France voted to stay home over the weekend due to worries about the potential spread of the virus. The Louvre will remain temporarily shut down while its operators monitor the situation.

The French government banned indoor gatherings of larger than 5,000 people. France has reported 130 cases of the virus, and more than half of the country’s regions now have at least one case.

Airlines

The air travel company United is reportedly letting pilots take a month off work as the airline reduces travel in and around China. The Chicago-based company sent a memo to union members offering a month off with reduced pay, CNBC reports.

Other airlines like American and Delta have also suspended or reduced service to China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan, among other destinations in Asia.

LG

The electronics manufacturer LG Display suspended work at a smartphone screen factory in Gumi, South Korea, after someone nearby got sick, Reuters reports.

A bank worker near the factory reportedly tested positive for coronavirus. The company expects to resume production on March 3.

Facebook's F8

Facebook canceled its developer conference late last week as a precaution to protect its workers from coronavirus.

The event was scheduled to start on May 5th. Instead, the social networking giant will host local events and livestream content to bring developers together.

This story is developing.

Follow Dalvin Brown on Twitter: @Dalvin_Brown.