After city officials announced most of this weekend's events, including St. Patrick's Day parades, would be canceled because of the coronavirus, the Irish Channel Parade's officials said they were disappointed in the decision.

"We're very much disappointed, especially since we have three cases in the city, but they haven't been confirmed yet," said parade president Dick Burke. "That's not our call -- it's the decision of the city."

Burke said the parade would not be rescheduled, and instead the organization will begin planning for next year's event. This is only the fifth time in the more than 70 years of the Irish Channel St. Patrick's Day Parade rolling that they have had to cancel the event.

The parade was scheduled to roll on Saturday. The Block Party that benefits the St. Michael Special School, planned for St. Patrick's Day next Tuesday, is also canceled.

The only part of the weekend's events that will go on is the traditional Mass at St. Mary's Assumption Church at noon Saturday. It is open to the public.

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Other canceled events include the Wednesday at the Square, the Downtown St. Patrick's Day parade, Irish Channel St. Patrick's Day parade, the Italian American parade, the Single Men Social Aid and Pleasure Club second line and Uptown's Super Sunday event, Cantrell said at a press conference.

The Mayor's Masked Ball, an annual fundraiser held for Xavier and Dillard universities, is still currently on for this weekend, Cantrell said, because it is a private event.

Cantrell said that with the three presumptive cases, "the concern has grown," and that officials were aiming to be proactive to limit the spread of the virus.

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The announcement comes hours after state officials confirmed two cases of presumptive COVID-19, putting the state's coronavirus case count at three patients.

The two new cases were announced after the state's first presumptive COVID-19 case was reported at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in New Orleans. The three patients are being housed at separate hospitals — one at the VA Hospital, University Medical Center and Touro Infirmary.

All three cases are presumed positive until the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms the results, which officials at the press conference could come in another day or so.