Munich Oktoberfest 2020 cancelled

The Munich Oktoberfest, the world's biggest beer festival, 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 six million people from across the globe gather in the Bavarian state capital of Munich annually to attend the festival, reports Xinhua news agency.

The 187th Oktoberfest was set to take place from 19 September to 4 October.

"The risk is too high. It was decided together that the Oktoberfest would be canceled this year," Soeder told a press conference.

"Based on the current situation, I can not imagine that such a large event would even be possible at that time."

Germany's latest lockdown measures now include a ban on major public events until 31 August.

The country has reported 147,065 coronavirus cases with 4,862 deaths.

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.