Scheduled for March 23 to 27, the Championship was cancelled by the Finnish government as a precaution due to the virus, which has now infected 155 people in the nation.

Finland's city Rovaniemi was scheduled to hold the competition.

"Based on the developments of the last couple of days, the recommendations of the World Health Organisation as well as the notification from the Finnish government, the championship must be cancelled," organisers said in a statement.

"All main stakeholders including the Finnish Olympic Committee and the Finnish Orienteering Federation share this view.”

The nation's Government has cancelled any events involving more than 500 people from now until the end of May.

"The International University Sports Federation extends its sympathies to the athletes that had been expecting to participate," FISU said.

"FISU also remains deeply grateful to the Finnish Student Sports Federation for its work in preparing for the event."

More than 142,000 people have been infected by the virus worldwide and 5,375 have died.

FISU today closed its headquarters, asking their employees to work from home due to coronavirus.

All meetings at the building in Lausanne have been cancelled until April 15, while all of FISU's missions abroad have also been called off.

"While there have been no reported cases of the novel coronavirus among the FISU staff, the federation asked its employees to no longer use the FISU Headquarters on the University of Lausanne campus," FISU added.

"The work of FISU to advance university sport worldwide continues with FISU in daily contact with representatives of the local Organising Committees for future FISU educational and sports events."