MUMBAI: Cannes Lions has postponed the International Festival of Creativity at the south of France to October. The festival was scheduled to be held in June. France the other day had asked citizens not to leave their homes in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19 which has killed 148 peopld and infected more than 6,000 in the country.

The decision to postpone the festival from June "comes following much deliberation with our partners and customers, as well as, consultation with public health officials, the mayoral office of Cannes and the French Authorities," said a statement from Cannes Lions. 

The statement further states that the "health, safety and wellbeing of our customers, employees, sponsors and partners remains our first priority." 

Ascential, the parent company of Cannes Lions, had directed its employees to work from home as the coronavirus outbreak worsened.