Dublin has cancelled its St. Patrick’s Day parade due to concerns over the new coronavirus, according to local media reports from Ireland.
Both RTE News and Sky News reported the local government has cancelled the parade.
So far, Ireland has seen 21 cases of COVID-19 — including the first community transmission of the virus last week.
Dublin isn’t alone in its decision. Cork city council also cancelled its St. Patrick’s Day parade due to “the evolving circumstances around COVID-19 virus.”
“A risk assessment, based on World Health Organisation guidelines, was carried out by Cork City Council which concluded that based on the demographic of those attending the parade, the close proximity of people attending the event and the duration of the event (among other considerations), Cork City Council is not in a position to provide the necessary assurances in relation to current WHO Guidelines,” a statement said on Monday.
Cork’s parade was scheduled for March 17. Its parade is the second-largest in the country, normally drawing more than 50,000 people, according to BBC News.
Other major events around the world have also seen changes in plans. The annual March of the Living in Poland announced it was postponing its April commemoration of the lives lost in the Holocaust.
The organization cited the new coronavirus in its decision.
The Six Nations rugby match between France and Ireland was also postponed Monday. That match was scheduled for Saturday, and a new date has yet to be announced.
— With files by Reuters, The Associated Press
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