BTS postpone North American leg of their Map Of The Soul tour

K-pop superstars BTS have postponed their North American tour due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The group, a global phenomenon, had been set to kick off the tour on April 25 in Santa Clara, California, before finishing in Chicago, Illinois, on June 6.

However, BTS’s label, Big Hit Entertainment, said the dates have been postponed and will be rescheduled to ensure “the safety of everyone involved”.

The New York Times reported on Thursday at least 81,321 people are known to have been infected with coronavirus in the US, more than anywhere in the world.

All purchased tickets for the North American leg of the Map Of The Soul tour will be honoured for the new dates, Big Hit added.

As it stands, the rest of the tour – including the European leg which begins in London on July 3 – is set to go ahead.

BTS had already cancelled dates in their native South Korea, which has been hit hard by the pandemic.

In February, the band – made up of V, J-Hope, RM, Jin, Jimin, Jungkook, and Suga – scored their second UK number one album with Map Of The Soul: 7.

The seven-piece group previously went to number one with their EP Map Of The Soul: Persona.