NEW YORK — "The Nutcracker" is among several shows in the city canceled this week due to positive coronavirus cases, productions announced Wednesday as the omicron variant spreads through New York.

New York City Ballet announced Wednesday evening that it canceled performances of George Balanchine’s "The Nutcracker" through Monday due to several breakthrough COVID-19 cases of people in the production over the last few days.

"In an effort to protect the health and safety of the entire NYCB community we have decided that the best course of action is to cancel all performances of the Nutcracker until next Tuesday," New York City Ballet said in a statement. "This was a difficult decision to make as bringing this beloved holiday production back to the stage this year for audiences in the City and beyond has been a high priority for New York City Ballet."

Earlier in the evening, Carnegie Hall announced the cancellation of the New York String Orchestra's Christmas Eve concert due to positive coronavirus cases among "a small number of the orchestra’s musicians." Officials did not confirm if the musicians were vaccinated. Carnegie Hall said further concerts are still scheduled.

And Wednesday afternoon, Cirque du Soleil and MSG Entertainment confirmed "Twas the Night Before…" shows at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden have been canceled through Christmas Eve, citing breakthrough COVID-19 cases in the production. The show is expected to resume Sunday.

Ticket-holders for all three productions will be refunded, the companies said.

Recent city data show just over 10% of coronavirus tests in the city are coming back positive, even as the number of people tested each day has jumped by about half from a month ago. 

Yet hospitalizations, though increasing, remain a fraction of what the city saw in last winter’s surge, and daily deaths due to COVID-19 are rising only slightly. 

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