Coronavirus impact: Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has decided to cancel the on-ground launch event for its Redmi Note 9 series, scheduled for March 12 in Delhi, in the wake of coronavirus outbreak. The statement came hours after multiple cases were reported in the national capital region forcing the shut down of two private schools in Noida. Instead, Xiaomi will unveil its new smartphones in an online event.

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"Redmi Note series over the years has seen some of the biggest product launches in India with thousands in attendance. Xiaomi India team has always cherished these launches and the time spent with Mi Fans as well as media friends as a result. In that spirit, we have an important update for you. We won't be holding any launch events on-ground through March. While we’ve been planning for this launch for months, we believe this is an unprecedented yet extremely important step," a statement from Xiaomi India CEO Manu Kumar Jain read.

The statement added that the step was taken with an objective of reducing exposure risk to Coronavirus COVID-19 for Mi fans, media friends, partners and Xiaomi employees. It said that few reports have suggested that there are also instances of asymptomatic carriers, meaning a person could be a carrier of the virus without exhibiting any symptoms of the flu.

"We are operating out of abundant caution and our dedication to keeping all of you healthy. We're not holding any launch events on ground in March while we try and understand the situation more and we should have another update regarding future launches by the end of the month," Jain said, adding that this is an extremely difficult decision for the company as it loves bringing the latest tech to all, but above all values safety and good health.

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The Redmi Note 9 and Note 9 Pro will now be launched through an online event on company's social media and mi.com.

Earlier in the day, two private schools in Noida cancelled classes on Tuesday for the next few days as a precautionary measure over the father of a student testing positive for coronavirus. The two schools announced their closure in messages sent to the parents. One of the schools, where a student's father tested positive, said it will remain shut from March 4 to March 6.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday also announced that he held an extensive review on the preparedness for novel coronavirus.

"Had an extensive review regarding preparedness on the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus. Different ministries and states are working together, from screening people arriving in India to providing prompt medical attention," he said in a tweet.

The Health Ministry on Tuesday said six cases with "high-viral load" were detected during sample testing in Agra and these people have been kept in isolation.