The kings of Sweden canceled a dinner with 150 guests for fear of the coronavirus

The kings of Sweden canceled a dinner with 150 guests for fear of the coronavirus

The monarch Carlos XVI Gustavo and Queen Silvia hoped to receive about 150 guests at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, but the progress of the disease in the country, with at least 14 confirmed cases, distorted the decision

The monarchy of Sweden canceled a luxurious dinner that was organized for Wednesday, as a precaution against the advance of the coronavirus in Europe.

The King Carl XVI Gustaf , 73, and Queen Silvia , 76, expected to receive about 150 guests at the Royal Palace in Stockholm , but the progression of the disease in the country, at the least 14 confirmed cases, twisted the decision.

“Pending further development of events, Your Majesties, as hosts, decide to postpone the Official Dinner that was scheduled for Wednesday, March 4 at the Royal Palace. This is done for consideration of the guests, ”said a statement.

The risk of a generalized outbreak in the country increased in the last hours from “low” to “moderate”. In the old continent, the most affected countries to date are Italy and Germany, with hundreds of cases in each country

The event was attended by other members of the royal family, such as Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Carlos Felipe, as well as important members of the Swedish government.

For its part, the Swedish transport authority on Monday suspended direct flights to and from Iran on the advice of health officials who said Tehran "was not in control" of the outbreak of the new coronavirus on its ground.

Iran Air's flight permits (currently the only airline that flies directly between Iran and Sweden) were suspended in response to a request from Swedish health officials.

"We rely on the competence and experience of the Swedish Public Health Agency," Simon Posluk, head of the maritime and air traffic department of the transport agency, said in a statement.