BREAKING NEWS UPDATE:

The Spanish Town ball has officially been canceled.

Spanish Town Mardi Gras board president Robert King announced the news Wednesday night.

King says plans for the parade have not been made yet, though they have been moving forward with plans.

They will have a discussion with the mayor's office on Friday about those plans, in addition to awaiting news to come from Governor John Bel Edwards' regarding his latest order, which is set to expire in early December.

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BATON ROUGE - With recent statistics from the Louisiana Department of Health reflecting an increase in COVID-19 cases in East Baton Rouge Parish, Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome is remaining cautious in anticipating how Mardi Gras 2021 will be celebrated in the parish.

When asked what kinds of celebrations, if any, locals should expect, her office replied that it will be conducting meetings with multiple area parade organizers to discuss their events. A representative from the mayor's office said via an email to WBRZ, "At this point we expect to have modified events in light of the pandemic to ensure we protect our economy and health. We will keep you informed as more details are finalized."

In the meantime, the mayor's office is focusing on encouraging citizens to double down in their COVID-prevention efforts and to not give in to “COVID Fatigue.”

Mayor Broome issued a Tuesday, Nov. 17 statement, saying, "Baton Rouge, I know we can overcome this pandemic if we work together and practice these simple safety measures. Our economy and health depend on your help."

Meanwhile, the City of New Orleans is nixing parades and asking the public for suggestions related to alternative, COVID-safe ways of celebrating the season.

According to the Associated Press, on Tuesday, NOLA City spokesman Beau Tidwell confirmed that no parades will roll during the weeks leading up to and including Fat Tuesday because they can’t meet restrictions meant to slow the spread of novel coronavirus.