<p class="title">A game developers conference in San Francisco was postponed Friday, after Facebook and Microsoft withdrew from the event due to concerns about the spread of novel coronavirus.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The annual gathering was due to start March 16 in a downtown convention center but will be held later this year instead, the organizers of the Game Developers Conference said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It joins a growing list of global events that have been nixed as the virus spreads around the world.</p>.<p class="bodytext">US officials on Friday reported a fourth infection with unknown origin -- including two in California -- fuelling fears the epidemic was spreading in the country where more than 60 cases have been confirmed.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Facebook this week canceled its F8 developers conference, the biggest annual event for the US tech giant, due to virus worries.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The gathering in the Silicon Valley city of San Jose typically draws thousands of software makers from around the world who collaborate with the tech giant on its platform.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Face-to-face interaction at San Jose conference center will be replaced with online presentations.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The World Health Organization has raised its risk alert to its highest level as the virus spreads rapidly across the world.</p>.<p class="bodytext">More than 2,900 people have died and over 85,000 have been infected worldwide since it was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.</p>
<p class="title">A game developers conference in San Francisco was postponed Friday, after Facebook and Microsoft withdrew from the event due to concerns about the spread of novel coronavirus.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The annual gathering was due to start March 16 in a downtown convention center but will be held later this year instead, the organizers of the Game Developers Conference said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It joins a growing list of global events that have been nixed as the virus spreads around the world.</p>.<p class="bodytext">US officials on Friday reported a fourth infection with unknown origin -- including two in California -- fuelling fears the epidemic was spreading in the country where more than 60 cases have been confirmed.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Facebook this week canceled its F8 developers conference, the biggest annual event for the US tech giant, due to virus worries.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The gathering in the Silicon Valley city of San Jose typically draws thousands of software makers from around the world who collaborate with the tech giant on its platform.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Face-to-face interaction at San Jose conference center will be replaced with online presentations.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The World Health Organization has raised its risk alert to its highest level as the virus spreads rapidly across the world.</p>.<p class="bodytext">More than 2,900 people have died and over 85,000 have been infected worldwide since it was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.</p>