Trevor Maxwell, Te Arawa regional committee chairperson. Photo/File
The Ministry of Health is advising people to remain vigilant about the chance of widespread community outbreak of the coronavirus.
However, the Te Arawa kapa haka regional competition committee is taking extra measures to ensure the thousands of spectators expected to attend the two-day event at the Energy Events Centre in Rotorua remain safe.
Committee chairperson Trevor Maxwell says they are taking precautions and the centre where the event will be held is also well prepared.
"Fortunately for us, we have had discussions with our management here in the Energy Events Centre and they are prepared for this for all their events that they're holding here - but ours is a large one of course - to ensure that we have all the proper safety and health things that are required.
"But our committee, like recent major events, have decided no we can still go ahead, we're not panicking but we're also mindful we just have to be extra careful."
Maxwell and the committee welcome spectators to the event and believe they have put all the health precautions in place to allow people to just enjoy themselves.
"Hopefully, all our regionals throughout the country will not have to cancel or postpone their event. I see where the Pacific Arts Festival that was going to be held in Hawai'i has been cancelled or postponed. Fortunately, ours are only this weekend, I hope all the groups get through so we can have a wonderful event next year," he says.