Dion cancels Las Vegas shows

Celine Dion has cancelled the next five performances of her A New Day show and an appearance at the Billboard Music Awards because of a highly contagious respiratory infection.

The 38-year-old Grammy Award-winning singer is being treated for mycoplasma bronchitis, a contagious bacterial infection, and has been ordered to rest during her recovery.

Performances of her show at Caesars Palace, which were created by former Cirque Du Soleil Artistic Director Franco Dragone, were cancelled from Wednesday through Sunday, after which Dion was scheduled to take a holiday break from the five-shows-a-week regimen before returning on December 28.

Dion also backed out of a scheduled appearance at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas on Monday.

A spokesman for A New Day says ticket-holders will receive refunds or can book other show dates.