The East Bay city of Dublin said Monday that it will cancel its annual St. Patrick's Day festivities amid fears of the novel coronavirus' spread.
Dublin made the decision to cancel the annual two-day holiday festival, 5K Shamrock Fun Run and Walk, parade and pancake breakfast after consulting with Alameda County public health and emergency services officials. The festivities were originally scheduled for this upcoming Saturday and Sunday.
"It is our duty and obligation to protect our citizens as well as the many visitors who would be coming into our city for the events," Dublin City Manager Linda Smith said in a letter to the community. "Cancelling the Dublin St. Patrick's Day Celebration is simply the prudent thing to do."
The two-day event draws roughly 80,000 people each year, according to city officials.
To date, two Alameda County residents have tested positive for coronavirus, also known by the medical designation COVID-19. Both cases were confirmed in the last 10 days, according to county health officials.
The first patient, a health care worker at NorthBay VacaValley Hospital, had come into contact with a coronavirus patient at UC Davis Medical Center while the other was a passenger aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship from Feb. 11 to 21.
"While over 80 percent of people with COVID-19 have mild disease, we can and should prepare for this new virus to gain a foothold in our county, and we should work together to slow the spread of disease and protect our most vulnerable populations." Alameda County Public Health Officer Dr. Erica Pan said in a statement Friday.
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Health and safety guidelines and information about the virus can be found at acphd.org/2019-ncov.aspx.
