New York City's St. Patrick's Day Parade, the largest such celebration in the world, was postponed late Wednesday evening (local time) over concerns about the spread of coronavirus that has killed dozens of US citizens and infected more than 1,200 Americans.
This is the first time in more than 250 years that the event will not be organised as scheduled.
The announcement was made in a statement by Governor Andrew M Cuomo as well as other parade organisers, and followed the cancellation of St. Patrick's Day celebrations in Chicago and Boston, The New York Times reported.
"While I know the parade organizers did not make this decision lightly, public health experts agree that one of the most effective ways to contain the spread of the virus is to limit large gatherings and close contacts," Cuomo said.
"And I applaud the parade's leadership for working cooperatively with us," he added.
The parade, traditionally held on March 17, draws an estimated 150,000 marchers and two million spectators a year to Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, including many police and military groups, firefighters, Irish musicians and student groups from across the United States. It is one of the city's largest recurring public events.
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Cuomo said he had spoken to Anthony S. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, whose "strong recommendation" was to "reduce large gatherings" like the parade.
"Why would you risk bringing thousands of people together knowing this is a virus that is easily communicable?" Cuomo said at a news conference. "St. Patrick's Day is one of the great convenings of a large number of people."
"If you listen to the experts, they are saying you should not have a St. Patrick's Day convening at this time, which I believe makes sense," the Governor said.
St. Patrick is the patron saint of both Ireland and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, the second-largest diocese in the United States, which has traditionally played a role in the parade.
The occasion, while not a legal holiday in the United States, is nonetheless widely recognised and observed throughout the country as a celebration of Irish and Irish-American culture. Celebrations include prominent displays of the colour green, religious observances, numerous parades, and copious consumption of alcohol.
The NY Governor declared a state of emergency in the state on Saturday and deployed the National Guard three days later to a "containment area" in New Rochelle, in Westchester County.
Earlier this week, Ireland also cancelled all parades nationwide.
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