World Economy Conference With Pope Francis Postponed Over COVID-19

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A conference on the world economy, which was set to be held in Italy's town of Assisi later in March with Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, taking part in it, has been postponed until November due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the country, the event's organizers said.

"New date of The Economy of Francesco [on November 21]. The organizing committee informs that detailed information will be provided shortly regarding the preparation of the event, which is proceeding with great commitment and enthusiasm," the organizers, The Economy of Francesco, wrote on Twitter on Sunday.

The organizers added that the decision was also made due to the fact that many participants would not be able to travel to Italy, as a number of airlines suspended or reduced flights to and from the country.

To date, Italy, the main virus hotbed in Europe, has registered over 1,500 cases of the coronavirus disease, whole more than 30 people have died from the epidemic.

On a global scale, the virus infected more than 87,000 people worldwide, while over 2,950 people died and over 40,000 have recovered.