Ultra's March festival canceled over coronavirus fears in Miami

[mia]

The 2020 Ultra Music Festival will be postponed — possibly for a full year, which would effectively cancel this year’s edition of Miami’s marquee electronic dance music event, the Miami Herald has learned.

The decision to postpone, which sent shock waves through the electronic dance music community on social media, was made in a meeting Wednesday morning between Miami’s elected leaders and Ultra representatives, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. Before the meeting, Mayor Francis Suarez and Commissioner Joe Carollo told reporters they wanted to postpone the event due to concerns over the spread of novel coronavirus, or COVID-19.

City officials have yet to announce details of the change because attorneys are ironing out the legal issues tied to the decision, including the length of the delay, sources said.

Wednesday morning, Suarez, Carollo and City Manager Art Noriega met with Ultra representatives to discuss the possibility of postponing the three-day event, which is scheduled to open March 20 at Bayfront Park. The meeting followed a press conference where Carollo and Suarez called for the event’s postponement. After the meeting, Carollo and Suarez told reporters they had reached a resolution, but there would not be an official announcement until Friday morning....

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/downtown-miami/article240878956.html

[Sherman A1]

1. WOW!

[mia]

2. Miami petition to: CANCEL ULTRA 2020 -- MIAMI -- COVID19- Coronavirus

Link to tweet

ULTRA attracts more than 10,000 people from over 100 countries.

Given the current coronavirus outbreak, Miami locals should not become victims.

We all love ULTRA and the great things it has done for Miami over the years, but, sometimes its better to be prudent.

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"

It is still unclear how the virus spreads

There is still an ongoing study into the spread of the virus. So far it's ability to remain in a host subject for 14-28 days without symptoms, creates a new paradigm in this virus's ability to propagate. Given what we have learned from the ITALIAN EXPERIENCE once it has infected an area the growth rate is near exponential. Further, the faulty tests provided by the CDC provide no comfort when it comes to being able to screen and identify potential hosts entering a new area.

Until these tests are resolved and a reassuring measure of control has been applied to this outbreak, for the safety of Miami's family communities and our elders (which are most vulnerable to death by the virus), we urge the City Council and the Mayor to take preventive action, and as of now and until further notice, cancel the event.

Stay vigilant, wash your hands, and use basic logic when it comes to caution and care.

We love you Miami, and we love you ULTRA, just maybe, wait till next year and we can party twice as hard.