Coronavirus cancels St. Patrick’s Day Parade, other events in Dallas-Fort Worth
Dallas’ St. Patrick’s Day Parade scheduled for Saturday was canceled after several cases of coronavirus were reported in North Texas, the city announced Wednesday.
The 41st annual parade was set to take place Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Energy Square on the northwest corner of Greenville Avenue and University Boulevard.
“Canceling the St. Patrick’s Day parade and block party was not an easy decision, but it is the correct and responsible decision,” said Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson in a press release.
Dallas County reported two presumptive positive cases of the virus on Tuesday and one on Wednesday. Collin County officials also confirmed three members of one family tested positive for the coronavirus, and a Fort Worth priest tested presumptive positive in the first case in Tarrant County.
Before making the decision to cancel the parade, Johnson said in the press release, he talked with health care leaders, public health partners and Gov. Greg Abbott.
“An event of this scale, without adequate public health protections, cannot be allowed to occur at this time,” Johnson said in the press release. “Our primary concern is the health, safety, and welfare of our residents, and we will continue to take action accordingly.”
Sporting events
NCAA basketball tournaments will be closed to fans, NCAA President Mark Emmert announced Wednesday.
Emmert said the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments will have limited attendance. Moody Coliseum in Dallas is scheduled to host a women’s regional.
Also, the American Athletic Conference announced late Wednesday that its men’s basketball tournament at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth will be closed to fans and limited to essential personnel, family members of teams and media.
“Our top priority is always the health, safety and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches, university administrators and personnel, media, event staff and fans,” Commissioner Mike Aresco said in a statement.
The five-day tournament begins at 1 p.m. Thursday with a first-round game between the University of South Florida and the University of Central Florida.
The Big 12 also announced that its men’s and women’s basketball tournament games in Kansas City, Mo., will be closed to fans beginning Thursday, but fans did attend the men’s tournaments two opening games Wednesday night at Sprint Arena.
Globe Life Field in Arlington still plans to host the Chris Stapleton concert on Saturday, the first event at the new Texas Rangers baseball stadium.
As of Wednesday afternoon, 1,135 people had tested positive for coronavirus in the U.S., according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
This story was originally published March 11, 2020 at 4:04 PM.
