The Blakely Maker Faire has been postponed due to the spread of novel coronavirus, Captain Johnston Blakely Elementary Principal Reese Ande announced Monday.

Ande made the announcement in the school’s weekly Monday newsletter.

“The Blakely Maker Faire has quickly become a beloved and cherished event for our school community,” Ande said in the newsletter. “However, given the recent concerns over the coronavirus, and due to the nature of the Maker Faire (hands-on activities with more than 500 people sharing tools and supplies in close proximity), we have made the difficult decision to postpone Thursday’s scheduled event. With this type of event, it is not feasible to implement department of health personal hygiene habits.”

“I would like to thank everyone who worked hard organizing the Maker Faire. A lot of time and creativity went into planning the event, and I look forward to rescheduling it in the near future,” Ande added.

A growing number of community events have been canceled since the Kitsap Public Health District announced Sunday that a Bainbridge resident in their 60s had a “presumptive positive” test result for COVID-19.

The person who tested positive for COVID-19 is in isolation and receiving care, officials with the Kitsap Public Health District said Sunday.