DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — The city of Delray Beach said the annual St. Patrick's Day parade scheduled for Saturday has been canceled because of the coronavirus.
In a written statement Wednesday night, the city said the cancellation is a precautionary measure to prevent the possible spread of the virus.
SPECIAL COVERAGE: Latest news on coronavirus | Everything you need to know about coronavirus
City officials and parade organizers said they considered multiple factors when making the decision to cancel the event, which draws thousands of people each year to the city’s downtown area.
Officials said they were notified Wednesday that numerous vendors withdrew from participating in the event and more vendors were likely to cancel before Saturday.
Also, more than 30 volunteers had declined to work the event out of health concerns, according to the city.
There are no coronavirus cases in Palm Beach County. However, there are four confirmed cases in Broward County.
Delray Beach said they will evaluate on a case-by-case basis other scheduled public events.
As a precautionary measure to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19, the City of Delray Beach has cancelled the 2020 St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival, which was planned for Saturday. The health and well-being of our residents and visitors remains the city’s top priority.
— Delray Beach Fire (@DelrayBeachFire) March 12, 2020
