Rick Bowmer / AP
In this April 6, 2019, file photo, the Salt Lake City temple is shown during The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ two-day conference in Salt Lake City.
Thursday, March 12, 2020 | 6:30 p.m.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints today announced that all public gatherings, including worshipping services, were being temporarily suspended worldwide due to the coronavirus.
The suspensions of conferences, large gatherings and services are "effective immediately," the church said.
The church has more than 16 million members globally, with more than half living outside the United States. Nevada is home to about 185,000 members of the church in 345 congregations, according to church figures.
The announcement comes a day after news that its biannual general conference, which was expected to draw about 100,000 attendees to Salt Lake City in April over a two-day period, is going to take place without an audience.
Also on Wednesday, the church postponed travel for missionaries to 14 destinations, most in countries with confirmed cases of COVID-19, which has infected more than 120,000 worldwide, claiming over 4,600 lives. Some missionaries already in those countries were being recalled.
The U.S. has seen 1,300 confirmed infections and 38 deaths.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
