Among growing concerns globally and within the U.S. over COVID-19, the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund announced on Tuesday that their annual spring meetings, scheduled for April 17 to 19, would be held in a “virtual format”.

Each year the Bank and Fund’s Spring Meetings bring together a few thousand delegates, observers, civil society members and journalists to Washington DC.

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“As you know, we are deeply concerned by the evolving situation of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the human tragedy surrounding it,” World Bank Group President David Malpass said in an email to staff on Tuesday.

“Given growing health considerations related to the virus, and increasing uncertainties relating to travel and logistics, the Management of the World Bank Group and IMF together with our Executive Boards have agreed to adapt the 2020 World Bank Group-IMF Spring Meetings to a virtual format,” he said.

Washington DC based World Bank staff have been asked to cancel international travel, except for essential business that cannot be done using remote connectivity options, a World Bank employee told The Hindu.

Staff were asked, effective February 29, to “postpone large-scale events, especially those that involve international travel or take place in countries or regions where there is a known risk,” as per a Bank FAQ web page.