BERLIN, April 21 (Xinhua) -- The world-famous Munich Oktoberfest has been cancelled this year due to the high risk brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, said Bavarian Minister-President Markus Soeder on Tuesday.
Around 6 million people from across the globe gather in the Bavarian state capital of Munich annually to attend the world's biggest beer festival.
The 187th Oktoberfest was set to take place from Sep. 19 to Oct. 4.
"The risk is too high. It was decided together that the Oktoberfest would be canceled this year," Soeder told a press conference alongside Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter.
Both expressed hope of celebrating the festival in 2021.
Public gatherings are banned in Germany for the coming months due to the coronavirus.
On Tuesday, Germany reported a total of 143,457 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 4,598 deaths, according to data from disease control agency Robert Koch Institute.
Oktoberfest did not take place in 1854 and again in 1873 because of a cholera outbreak, and it was cancelled during wartime periods such as World War II. Enditem
