Vietnam delays volleyball tournament as coronavirus spreads

Scheduled to take place in Dak Lak Province in the Central Highlands between May 16 and 24, the annual event will be pushed back to 2021.

Lam Van Tu, organizing head, said the well-being of athletes, viewers and the local community is the top priority.

Teams from Canada, China, Japan, Kazakhstan and the U.S. have all agreed to the delay, pledging to follow future developments before deciding a fresh date.

The international event, birthed in 2006, is organized by Vietnam Volleyball Federation, and sponsored by Vietnam Television - VTV9 and VTV Binh Dien Long An Women's Volleyball Team.

Eight teams participated in the tournament last year, including four from Thailand, the U.S., and two from China, with Sichuan Women's Volleyball Club scooping the title.

The novel coronavirus has spread to 89 countries and terriroties as of Friday morning, killing 3,385 people, including 3,000 in China, 148 in Italy, 108 in Iran, 40 in South Korea, and 12 each in Japan and the U.S.