Detroit cancels St. Patrick's Parade due to coronavirus concerns
DETROIT (FOX 2) - The 62nd annual Detroit St. Patrick's Parade will be canceled after organizers consulted with Mayor Mike Duggan and Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
The annual parade has been held since 1958 and was set for this coming Sunday in downtown Detroit. however, on Tuesday, the state announced its first cases of coronavirus, prompting the parade to be canceled.
According to a statement posted on the parade's Facebook page, they worked in conjunction with Duggan's team and Whitmer's team to decide it was best to cancel the parade.
Michigan advises avoiding gatherings of 100 people or more to prevent spread of coronavirus
"The health and safety of our participants, spectators, local businesses and sponsors is our top priority, especially after we learned about the first cases of COVID-19 in Michigan today," parade co-chair Mike Kelly said in a statement.
The parade is expected to be back in 2021 with goals to "make it bigger, better and more successful than ever!"
Symptoms for coronavirus COVID-19 include fever, coughing and shortness of breath. These, of course, are similar to the common cold and flu.
RELATED: Is it the flu, a cold or COVID-19? Different viruses present similar symptoms
Expect a common cold to start out with a sore or scratchy throat, cough, runny and/or stuffy nose. Flu symptoms are more intense and usually come on suddenly, and can include a high fever.
Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear more slowly. They usually include fever, a dry cough and noticeable shortness of breath, according to the World Health Organization. A minority of cases develop pneumonia, and the disease is especially worrisome for the elderly and those with other medical problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes or heart conditions.
Right now there's one big difference between flu and coronavirus: A vaccine exists to help prevent the flu and it's not too late to get it. It won't protect you from catching the coronavirus but may put you in a better position to fight it.
To protect yourself, wash your hands well and often, keep them away from your face, and avoid crowds and standing close to people.
And if you do find yourself showing any of these flu or coronavirus symptoms - don't go straight to your doctor's office. That just risks making more people sick, officials urge. Call ahead and ask if you need to be seen and where.
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