With a busy concert season shaping up amid a seemingly growing coronavirus threat, those in the trenches of Detroit’s live-music business say that — for now — it’s business as usual.

Still, the topic is very much on the mind of venue operators, show promoters and others in the business of big gatherings, who say they’re closely monitoring developments and working with government agencies to stay up to date.

The mood in the industry might best be described as vigilant, cautious and occasionally anxious as U.S. coronavirus updates arrive daily, even hourly.

“Right now, it’s wait, listen and count on guidance from health officials on how to conduct ourselves,” said festival producer Jon Witz, whose events include Arts, Beats & Eats, a Labor Day weekend fixture in Royal Oak.

Olympia Development, whose venue portfolio includes Little Caesars Arena, the Fox Theatre and Comerica Park, said in a statement the company is keeping a close eye on coronavirus developments nationwide.

Sister company Olympia Entertainment is a partner in 313 Presents, a joint venture with Pistons Sports & Entertainment that handles marketing and other duties for LCA, the Fox, DTE Energy Music Theatre, Meadow Brook Amphitheatre and Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill.

More:Little Caesars Arena is No. 2 US concert arena for 2019; DTE is No. 1 amphitheater

“Public health and safety is our first priority at all of our venues. In addition to following CDC guidelines, we are staying close with local, state and federal health agencies, the leagues, industry associations and other venues on best practices,” Olympia Development communications director Ed Saenz said in a statement. “We also encourage our patrons to follow best practices as provided by the CDC.”

In Michigan, there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by novel coronavirus. Across the U.S., the count stood at 148 Wednesday afternoon, including eight deaths.

Denise Fair, chief public health officer for the City of Detroit, said the city's health department is “advising the public to continue with activities as planned.”

“We are in close communication with all the large venues, and we just want to make sure the events are successful — and more important, we want to reduce fear,” Fair said. “There’s a lot of fear regarding COVID-19, and we want residents to feel safe.”

Fair said she is asking entertainment venues to stock up on preventative supplies for patrons, including adequate soap at sinks, onsite hand sanitizers, extra tissues and disposable face masks.

The public has its own responsibilities in stemming spread of the virus, she emphasized while reiterating basic CDC guidelines: washing hands regularly and thoroughly, avoiding handshakes and hugs, and keeping fingers off the face.

People should also adopt the mindset of working together for everyone's sake, she said: Avoid crowds if you’re ill.

“You may have spent $100 for a front-row ticket, but if you’re feeling sick, stay home,” she said.

Fair declined to identify a scenario that would prompt local or state authorities to ban mass gatherings, as has happened in coronavirus hot spots such as Switzerland and Italy.

“We’re not there yet,” she said. “Information is changing daily.”

The outbreak threat comes ahead of one of the busiest concert seasons in recent memory, with dozens of major tours set to pass through the region in coming months, including seven shows at Comerica Park and Ford Field.

At Little Caesars Arena, which drew 957,596 concertgoers last year to rank second among U.S. arenas, more than 20 shows are on the books so far this year. DTE Energy Music Theatre — which tallied 598,617 in attendance to place No. 1 on the U.S. amphitheater chart — has nearly 40 summer concerts scheduled to date.

Around the world, the affects of COVID-19 have already weighed on the entertainment business. Artists including Green Day, the National and BTS have called off Asian tours, for instance, while movie box-office revenue has plummeted in places such as Hong Kong and Italy, according to the Hollywood trade press.

Producers of the James Bond installment "No Time to Die" announced Wednesday they were bumping the movie's global release from April to November — the first in what could become a flurry of rescheduling for high-profile films.

In Switzerland, where more than 60 coronavirus cases have been reported, authorities have banned events of more than 1,000 attendance through at least March 15, a move that led to the cancellation of the Geneva International Auto Show. Professional soccer matches in some regions of Italy have been suspended or played in empty stadiums.

Closer to home, more than 44,000 people have signed a petition calling for the cancellation of the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. The annual music, film and tech conference, which typically draws more than 30,000 attendees, is still a go for March 13-22, organizers said Wednesday.

Detroit venue officials and event organizers who spoke with the Free Press this week stopped well short of pushing panic buttons, and some cautioned against stoking fear among fans and patrons. None would disclose the specific contingencies in place for a worst-case scenario — such as venue shutdowns or event rescheduling.

In a statement provided to the Free Press, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra asked that patrons avoid concerts if they have symptoms including fever, coughing or respiratory issues. People can exchange their tickets for other series concerts by calling the DSO box office before an event.

“Like many others, we continue to monitor news about the coronavirus,” wrote Matt Carlson, the DSO’s senior director of communications. “The health and safety of all of our patrons, staff, and musicians is a top priority. While there have been no reports so far of coronavirus in the state of Michigan, we would like to remind our concertgoers to follow current public health recommendations so we can ensure a comfortable environment for all.”

Much as the 2015 Bataclan massacre in Paris prompted heightened security at music venues around the world, the coronavirus situation has the concert industry primed to react as needed, said one high-level industry source.

“This is a constantly morphing business affected by the world events that inform it,” said the source. “You have to plan for what could happen, as with any other safety issue. That’s a box that’s always being checked.”

"Like any other business that traffics in large congregations of people, we’re monitoring it,” the source added. “But it’s too early to make any broad statements.”

Adrian Tonon works with local events, nightspots and entrepreneurs as the "24-Hour Economy Ambassador" for Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan.

“With festivals and music, we’re working with all the big events in terms of safety," Tonon said. "That’s our No. 1 concern. It’s about being proactive with public safety and community impact.”

City officials are “studying best practices” at coronavirus hot spots around the world, Tonon said.

At the Majestic complex in Midtown — which houses an assortment of performance spaces — owner Dave Zainea is keeping an eye on the news.

“We’re taking some precautions — extra cleaning in the bars and ticketing areas,” said Dave Zainea, who owns the Majestic Theatre complex in Midtown. “But right now it’s business as usual.”

Music Hall president Vince Paul said his theater will continue to book shows "loud and proud," and urged people to attend performances around town "if for no other reason than to push back against paranoia."

“As venues, we have a responsibility. But I don’t think we’re anywhere near that threshold to curtail programming,” said Paul, who noted that calculation would change if U.S. cases were to grow to “the tens of thousands.”

Officials with Live Nation and AEG Presents, the country’s two biggest concert promoters, declined to comment for this story.

But Live Nation president Michael Rapino did touch on the topic during a quarterly earnings call last Thursday, telling investors the company has suffered little impact beyond “specifically affected areas” such as Asia and Italy.

“Right now, we're being cautious,” Rapino said. “We're looking at all markets, doing the right thing for the artist.”

He said the company is optimistic that coronavirus will be “handled” by summertime, prime time for the touring industry.

“The consumer still seems to be buying the tickets on a global basis,” Rapino said. “So supply-demand will be there. We're going to take this cautiously as we watch the markets, and we assume a hotspot will flare up and a show will be canceled here and there. But we're confident long-term the show will happen, the revenue will flow, and the fans will show up.”

Dr. Anthony Monto, professor of epidemiology and global public health at the University of Michigan, worked in Beijing, China, during the SARS outbreak in 2002-2003.

People who are most vulnerable in the outbreak of COVID-19 are seniors and people with underlying chronic health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, lung disease and those with suppressed immune systems, he said.

For them, he offered this advice:

"Stay away from people who are ill. ... The best way to handle it is not to be in crowds, and that would especially be the case if we see local outbreaks."

By crowds, Monto said it's best to avoid concerts, sporting events and large community gatherings.

"I don't necessarily mean just going casually into the supermarket," he said.

However, if southeastern Michigan emerges as a hot spot for the virus, Monto said, "it changes everything."

At that point, even a trip to the grocery store would become a risk.

Contact Detroit Free Press music writer Brian McCollum: 313-223-4450 or bmccollum@freepress.com. Free Press staff writer Kristen Jordan Shamus contributed to this report.