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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Italy has been hit particularly hard by the outbreak; the whole of the country, some 60 million people, has effectively been ordered under quarantine as officials scramble to contain the virus’ spread. More than 600 people have died.

On Wednesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that up to 70 percent of Germans could ultimately get infected. The priority is “slowing its spread,” she said. According to an unofficial count by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, Germany currently has 1,629 confirmed cases, while France has 1,784.

Nadine Dorries, a British health minister, is among those who has tested positive for the illness, raising concerns that other top U.K. officials who interacted with her might have been exposed.