Local health officials are considering the cancellation of a major youth sports tournament in Spokane as concerns grow over COVID-19’s spread.

The tournament, which is scheduled to be held at many school gymnasiums in Spokane County, is expected to bring hundreds of middle school-age children and their families to Spokane from across the state.

This morning, Gov. Jay Inslee prohibited gatherings and events of more than 250 people in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties. The World Health Organization also declared a global pandemic relating to the novel coronavirus.

In lieu of these developments, Spokane Regional Health District officials are considering canceling the Washington Middle School Basketball Championship scheduled for March 13-15.

Bob Lutz, health officer at SRHD, said they are considering canceling the event “based upon the changing, evolving nature of this situation,” he said. Local health officials will be in conversation with the promoter and State Basketball Championship directors about the tournament.

The State Basketball Championship executive board posted a letter to its website on Monday expressing an intent to continue with the event and detailing extra precautions, including signage for safety practices, handwashing stations and extra sanitation of “high touch areas.”

The letter has yet to be updated, and parents of players are expressing concern.

Sarah Hay’s fifth grade son, Max Hay, plays for a team that was scheduled to be in the tournament.

But Hay, of Seattle, and enough of the other parents of players on the 10-person team decided not to attend because of concern about the virus.

“I think we have a social responsibility to slow the COVID-19 virus as much as we can to alleviate the strain on the health care system,” Hay said.

Hay was able to cancel her hotel reservations at the Spokane Club without having to pay a penalty, but she said other parents are out money they’ve spent on hotels and plane tickets.

Rebecca Crisp’s eighth grade son also was supposed to play, and she said officials failing to cancel the tournament has put her in a difficult position of making the decision not to have her son play, even though his team plans to participate. Crisp lives in Snohomish County, and said that a high school student who lives about 15 miles from her has contracted the virus. She finds the idea of gathering youth from all over Washington into one space irresponsible.

Crisp has contacted the governor’s office, as well as Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward’s office, with her concerns and questioned if officials are putting financial concerns over people’s health.

“I think it’s probably revenue for Spokane because obviously it’s a very large event and all the hotels book out,” Crisp said. “It’s something that’s scheduled far in advance. I know that there was a lot of money that is delegated for this, and fees associated with it.”

Spokesman-Review editor Jonathan Brunt contributed to this story