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New Zealand's Remembrance Service marking the first anniversary of the Christchurch mosque attacks has been cancelled due to coronavirus.
The Christchurch city council has today announced the event, which was to be held at Horncastle Arena in Christchurch, will be called off as a "precautionary approach" to the spread of COVID-19.
"This is a pragmatic decision. We're very saddened to cancel, but in remembering such a terrible tragedy, we shouldn't create the risk of further harm being done," said Prime Minister Jacinta Ardern in a statement on the council's website.
"The advice we received for this event, is that based on people travelling from different parts of the country and from overseas, if there was a case it could be difficult to trace those who had come into contact with that person, so we are taking a cautious approach," she said.
"I encourage everyone to take time on Sunday to remember and to recommit to the values of inclusion and love demonstrated so clearly a year ago."
The event was expected to attract hundreds of people travelling from around New Zealand and overseas.