Baguio City cancels Panagbenga opening day parade over nCoV scare

A day after the first novel coronavirus was confirmed in the country, Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Friday announced the cancellation of the Panagbenga Grand Opening Day Parade on Saturday.

"After due deliberation, I would like to make an announcement that I am cancelling the Panagbenga street parade  tomorrow," Magalong said at a press conference.

"We're doing this because we just would like to be pro-active about it. We're very much concerned about the health of our residents and visitors in the city. And we're just making sure that we're doing everything preemptive," he later added.

According to Magalong, all events in the next three weeks which would draw crowds and visitors will be cancelled or postponed.

Despite this, Magalong said he has not yet decided whether the Panagbenga Grand Street Dance, on February 29, and the Grand Float Parade, on March 1, would be cancelled.

"There's still no definitive decision with regards to the February 29 and March 1 events, Panagbenga events [...] It depends on the latest development coming from the Department of Health (DOH)," Magalong said.

He also cancelled the Sunday pedestrianization and art activities along Session Road and the Cordillera Athletic Meet.

The Philippines on Thursday confirmed its first nCoV case.

According to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, a 38-year-old woman from Wuhan China tested postive for the virus. She is currently at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila.

On Friday, DOH spokesperson Eric Domingo said persons under investigation for nCoV have increased to 31.

Meanwhile, the death toll in China due to the virus has climbed to 213 with more than 9,600 confirmed cases. —Joahna Lei Casilao/NB, GMA News