The Philadelphia Flower Show is ramping up "precautions that can be taken to reduce the spread of germs" as cases of the coronavirus continue to sprout up in the United States and globally.
The weeklong event starts Saturday and will attract thousands each day to the Pennsylvania Convention Center. It is one of the largest annual events in the city.
The coronavirus outbreak, meanwhile, has sent international stock markets plummeting and restricted travel to certain countries. On Wednesday, Villanova shut down its study-abroad program in Italy as a new outbreak there spread across the Mediterranean country.
"It is our understanding that the facility, in addition to its regularly scheduled maintenance and cleaning efforts, will be following guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO)," a spokesman for the Flower Show told NBC10 in an email. "In addition to its normal regulations, the PA Convention Center has advised us that they will increase the amount of hand sanitizing stations available at all entrances."
Other precautions will include cleaning restrooms "multiple times within an hour" and making sure "soap and hand sanitizers are always available for visitors when needed."
The Flower Show also recommended that visitors check out the World Health Organization's guidelines for protecting against colds, flu and coronavirus. Those guidelines can be found HERE.
Flower Show spokesman David Cheng also noted, when asked about safeguards related to the possible spread of viruses from the myriad flowers and other plant life being brought to the event, that wildlife is not a threat.
"The Philadelphia Flower Show does not have any flowers, vegetation, or other wildlife that is being imported for displays from nations that are impacted by the coronavirus," Cheng wrote. "In addition, there has been no evidence or findings to our knowledge that coronavirus can be spread through plants, flowers or vegetation."
