In an extraordinary move due to the coronavirus outbreak, the International Ice Hockey Federation has canceled six upcoming world championship tournaments scheduled for March and April.

The announcement was made on the advice of the IIHF Medical Committee at an emergency meeting of the IIHF Council on Monday in Hungary. The cancellation affects men's under-18 and women's world championship tournaments in lower divisions.

The IIHF said that its signature annual events in the top divisions -- the men's world championship set for May in Switzerland and the women's world championship set for April in Canada -- both "currently remain on the schedule." The 2020 U18 world championship in the top division scheduled for April 16-26 in Michigan also has not been canceled.

The tournaments in lower divisions determine which teams join next year's world championships.

At the next IIHF meeting is in mid-March in Zurich, officials will determine the impact of the cancellations, including financial compensation for costs and "the sportive impact" of the canceled tournaments. There will also be an update on the spread of coronavirus and a reevaluation of "the capability of tournament organizers to host IIHF championships in April" based on the most recent developments.

"I would like to thank the Medical Committee for their recommendation after very intense discussions over this weekend, I also thank our Council Members for their support of this recommendation in such challenging times," said IIHF President René Fasel to IIHF.com. "We will carefully evaluate on a daily basis the developments within our member countries."

The following tournaments were canceled due to coronavirus:

MEN's UNDER-18 category:

• 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship Division II Group A -- March 22-28 in Tallinn, Estonia
• 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship Division II Group B -- March 23-29 in Sofia, Bulgaria
• 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship Division III Group A -- March 16-22 in Istanbul, Turkey
• 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship Division III Group B -- March 29-April 04 in Kockelscheuer, Luxembourg

WOMEN's category:

• 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championship Division I Group B -- March 28-April 3 in Katowice, Poland
• 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championship Division II Group A -- March 29-April 3 in Jaca, Spain

Local officials in Kyrgysztan also canceled the 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division IV tournament scheduled for May due to coronavirus.

This news comes after the Swiss National League and its lower-tiered league played games in empty arenas last weekend after the nation's government put an immediate ban on events involving more than 1,000 people.

"This is a precaution against the spread of the coronavirus. All stadium entrances are closed and controlled by the security services," the league announced.

The National Hockey League, which traditionally allows its players to compete in the IIHF world championship tournament, has been monitoring the outbreak.

"We are in regular communication with our clubs on the issue and have passed along best practices being recommended by CDC and Public Health Canada medical experts,'' deputy commissioner Bill Daly told the Associated Press. "Most of these steps are common sense precautions, but there definitely involves consciousness raising.''