Austin officials cancel SXSW amid coronavirus concerns

Austin cancels SXSW festival

Austin city officials have canceled the South by Southwest arts and technology festival.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Austin city officials have canceled the South by Southwest arts and technology festival.

Mayor Steve Adler announced a local disaster as a precaution because of the threat of the novel coronavirus, effectively cancelling the annual event.

The announcement comes days after several high-profile companies, including Netflix, tech news outlet Mashable, video-based social media platform TikTok and U.S. chip maker Intel, pulled out of the festival.

More than 50,000 people had signed a petition seeking to get the festival cancelled.

The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus has climbed to 14, with all but one victim in Washington state, while the number of infections swelled to over 200 scattered across at least 18 states, including at least six cases in the Houston area.

AUSTIN, TX - MARCH 15: Crowds of festival music fans on 6th Street during Day 4 of SXSW 2013 Music Festival on March 15, 2013 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Andy Sheppard/Redferns via Getty Images)