Belleville cancels St. Patrick’s Day parade and events over virus concerns
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All St. Patrick’s Day events scheduled for Saturday have been canceled in Belleville because of concerns about coronavirus, the city announced Thursday.
The decision comes in the wake of events being canceled across the country, including the St. Patrick’s Day Parades in Chicago. and in downtown St. Louis. The move is precautionary as there have been no cases of the virus confirmed in southern Illinois or the metro-east as of Thursday morning.
“The annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration is slated for Saturday, March 14, but due to the global health concerns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, all events scheduled for the day have been postponed. This includes the Lucky Leprechaun 5K, the Ancient Order of Hibernians St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and the Main Street Block Party,” the city said in a news release.
The city said the events will be rescheduled for a later date.
“City leaders along with leadership from the partnering organizations have decided it is in the best interest of the public and our city employees to delay the annual celebration,” said Mayor Mark Eckert in the news release. “We want everyone to remain safe and use good judgment when managing our daily lives in the current environment.”
About coronavirus
As of Thursday, no cases of coronovirus have been confirmed in southern Illinois or the metro-east. The nearest confirmed case is Ladue, Missouri.
For most, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. But for some parts of the population, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illnesses. More than 121,000 people have been infected worldwide and over 4,300 have died.
According to WHO, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.
The Centers for Disease Control recommend several actions that can be taken to prevent the spread. They include washing hands frequently with soap and water, covering your nose and mouth when coughing, avoiding people who are sick, avoiding large gatherings, and staying home from work if you don’t feel well.
This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 9:35 AM.
