Coronavirus strikes deep: Dallas has canceled the St. Patrick's Day Parade and block party scheduled for March 14.

According to a release from the city of Dallas, the city's Convention and Event Services is canceling the special event permits for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and block party, following a review by Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS).

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson says in a statement that it was "not an easy decision," but was the correct and responsible decision.

"While our region still has only a few ‘presumptive positive’ COVID-19 cases that appear to be related to travel, we are actively making contingency plans for the spread of this illness," Johnson says.

Johnson says that before a decision was made, the city gathered input from healthcare leaders and public health partners, to consider the ramifications for police and firefighters. They also met with Governor Abbott and reviewed how COVID-19 has spread in other parts of the country and the world.

"An event of this scale, without adequate public health protections, cannot be allowed to occur at this time," Johnson says. "Our primary concern is the health, safety, and welfare of our residents, and we will continue to take action accordingly."

Dallas joins a number of other cities who've canceled their St. Patrick's Day Parades including Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago. The entire country of Ireland canceled all of its many parades.

New York is still considering its options, as is Cincinnati. But it's still on in Peoria. Go Peoria.

The coronavirus has officially hit Dallas-Fort Worth. So far, it's two cases in Dallas, one in Tarrant County, and three in Collin County.