United Airlines New York City Half-Marathon has been cancelled due to the Coronavirus

New York’s number of confirmed coronavirus cases jumped to 173 Tuesday, up 31 since Monday.

In New York City, there are 17 new cases, bringing the total to 36, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office.

“Against the backdrop of 8.6 million people and for the vast majority of New Yorkers, life is going on pretty normally right now,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in an interview. “We cannot shut down because of undue fear.”

Officials are urging New Yorkers to practice what they call “social distancing.” That means avoiding large gatherings and public transit as much as possible.

The concerns are having an impact on several events around town. On Tuesday night, organizers cancelled New York City Half Marathon scheduled for Sunday.

Here is the press release from the NYRR: "At New York Road Runners, the welfare of our running community is always our top priority. Due to the rapidly developing coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, the NYC Half, scheduled for Sunday, March 15, and the accompanying Rising New York Road Runners youth event, have been cancelled. We appreciate the support of New York City officials through this complicated decision-making process.

"We know this is a challenging time for everyone, and the cancellation of the NYC Half is disappointing news to many, but the resources necessary to organize an event with 25,000 runners on the streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan have become strained during this difficult period. Over the past week the NYRR team worked hard to adjust plans, implementing modifications and accommodations to alleviate crowding and facilitate social distancing. Unfortunately, it has become clear that we will be unable to proceed in the manner that our runners have come to expect at NYRR events, where the safety and security of our runners, volunteers, staff, partners, and spectators are our main concern.

"Due to the scale of the race during this unprecedented time, runners who registered directly with NYRR will be contacted in the next few days with the option to select either a full refund of their entry fee or guaranteed non-complimentary entry to the 2021 NYC Half next March (exact date TBD). Runners who gained entry through a charity or tour operator should reach out directly to that organization for the options available to them."

posted Tuesday March 10th