Spain's famous Pamplona bull-run cancelled for second year due to pandemic

Spain's famous bull-running festival held in northern city of Pamplona will not take place due to coronavirus pandemic, said Pamplona's mayor. This will be the second straight year of such cancellation.

"It is with regret that I am forced to officially cancel the San Fermin festival for this year 2021", Enrique Maya told a news conference.

He said that the festival, which involves daring daily bull-runs would be "a very high risk" in light of the Covid pandemic.

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The Navarre region, the capital of which is Pamplona, has one of the highest rates of Covid-19 in Spain.
The regional authorities had already said in February that the festival would likely have to be cancelled for a second consecutive year.

The festival is celebrated in honour of the patron saint of Spain's northern Navarre region -- San Fermin. The celebration of the festival dates back to medieval times. The celebration involves religious processions, concerts and all-night partying in addition to the bull runs that have made it famous.

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The festival draws tourists from around the world and its cancellation will deal another blow to the local economy, already reeling from restrictions to contain the spread of the virus.

(With inputs from agencies)