Denver’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which was scheduled for this Saturday and has been held every year since 1962, is canceled due to concerns over the coronavirus.

“Following discussions with public health officials at the city and at the urging of the Mayor during consultation yesterday and this morning, the Denver St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee has made the tough decision to cancel this year’s parade due to the on-going situation surrounding COVID-19,” parade spokeswoman Theresa Melaragno said in a Tuesday news release.

“The health and safety of parade participants and attendees is our highest priority every year, and the call to cancel the 2020 parade was made out of an abundance of caution to ensure that we are doing our part to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19 to those who join us every year to celebrate this annual tradition,” she said.

The decision came just a day after Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said in a press conference that the parade would not be canceled. 

Hancock released a joint statement with Melaragno on Tuesday, adding that the city continues to “closely monitor and coordinate efforts currently underway to respond to and prepare for cases of COVID-19.”

In his statement, Hancock urged residents “to follow the advice of local health authorities, including any restrictions put in place on travel, movement and gatherings, as well as advice on regular and thorough hand-washing, good respiratory hygiene, and staying home if you have flu-like symptoms.”

As of Tuesday, Colorado had 15 active cases of COVID-19, three of which are in Denver. Gov. Jared Polis on Tuesday responded to the uptick in cases by declaring a state of emergency, in effect for the next 30 days.