Ireland canceling St. Patrick's Day parades due to coronavirus fears

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Major St. Patrick's Day celebrations in Ireland are being canceled.

The country's prime minister, Leo Varadkar, made the announcement, stating that parades related to the holiday will not be happening in 2020 due to growing concerns about the coronavirus. The prime minister also announced a $492 million aid package for health services to deal with the virus crisis.

Ireland's largest St. Patrick's Day parade takes place in its capital, Dublin -- approximately 500,000 people attended last year.

Despite the prime minister's ruling, some smaller parades in Northern Ireland are still scheduled to take place but are currently under review.