Coachella Music & Arts Festival, set to take place in California over two weekends in April, will likely be the next major music event to be postponed due to fear of the coronavirus spread. Sources have told Rolling Stone, Billboard and Variety that both weekends will be postponed to consecutive weekends in October. Coachella's country-focused sister festival Stagecoach, also scheduled for April, will likely be postponed as well.

Goldenvoice is reportedly informing agents and artists to figure out who is available for the new autumn dates. As of now, the plan is to keep the line-up the same. Rage Against the Machine, Travis Scott and Frank Ocean were slated to headline and Irish mainstays Fontaines D.C. and the Murder Capital were also scheduled to perform.

Conversations surrounding the festival's status as the world deals with a global coronavirus outbreak began late Sunday as hope for the success of the April dates began to fade. California has entered a state of emergency with over 110 confirmed cases and two deaths. As of March 9, three more cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Coachella Valley, including the first locally acquired case, according to the Desert Sun, bringing the valley's total up to six.

The news comes days after SXSW in Austin, Texas was cancelled due to Covid-19 concerns. The rapid global spread of the virus has already made painful waves throughout the live entertainment industry. SXSW had no insurance to cover the cancellation and laid off 50 employees after the announcement. According to the Austin Statesman, the company is now concerned they could lose tens of millions of dollars. Goldenvoice's move to postpone rather than cancel the festival may shield them from triggering cancellation insurance that may leave them in a similar situation to SXSW.

France's Tomorrowland Winter Festival and Miami's Ultra Music Festival have also been cancelled amid coronavirus fears. Major tours across Asia from acts like the National, Stormzy and Green Day have met the same fate.

Dublin officially announced the cancellation of the St. Patrick's Day Parade yesterday at the advice of public health officials. The Republic of Ireland has so far been hit with 24 cases and Northern Ireland has 12 confirmed cases. No deaths have yet been reported on the island.

No official statement regarding Coachella's future has yet been released, but organisers hope to confirm within the next 48 hours whether the move is possible. If not, the festival will likely be cancelled.