In most cases during a global viral outbreak, a mass gathering of people who have turned blue might cause alarm.

Not in the French town of Landerneau, where 3,500 people donned Smurf costumes, blue body paint and white hats for a record-breaking rally, according to Agence France-Presse.

Mayor Patrick Leclerc defended holding the rally amid global concerns of the outbreak of the new coronavirus. Around the globe, large gatherings of people, including sporting events, conferences, concerts, even Coachella, have been canceled.

The Smurf rally went on.

"We must not stop living ... it was the chance to say that we are alive," Leclerc told the AFP.

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In France, 1,784 people have been sickened and 33 killed by the new virus that causes COVID-19 as of Wednesday morning, according to a Johns Hopkins University tracker.

The event took place Saturday, a day before France banned gatherings with more than 1,000 people over coronavirus concerns, according to state-owned TV network France 24.

According to the AFP, plans for the rally drew criticism, notably in Italian media, as the organizers refused to cancel the event in an attempt to break a world record. La Repubblica newspaper called the event a "potentially a very dangerous viral bomb," the news agency reported.

An event in Germany in February 2019 held the world record for most people dressed as Smurfs when 2,762 people donned the blue paint, according to Guinness World Records.

In a statement, Guinness World Records said all applicants must seek local health and safety advice before holding an event.

The Smurfs, or in French, Les Schtroumpfs, are a Belgan comic that feature small, blue people who live in mushroom houses.

In an AFP video, rally-goers were seen cheering and jumping around. Two people interviewed together in blue paint and white hats claimed the event was "more important" than the coronavirus.

"We're going to Smurferise the coronavirus," one said.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the virus spreads mainly from person-to-person when someone is in close contact with an infected person through respiratory droplets that can land in mouths or noses or be inhaled.

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