Newcastle United have banned players from shaking hands at the club amid fears coronavirus could spread, manager Steve Bruce has said.
The global flu epidemic that originated in China has caused more than 2,700 deaths to date.
Italy was the first European country to suffer an outbreak of COVID-19, with over 250 suspected cases and 12 deaths in the country.
According to the BBC, more than 80,000 people in nearly 50 countries have been infected.
The virus has hit the world of sport and Premier League side Newcastle have taken preventative steps in the battle against it.
The club have not reported any flu-like symptoms, but Bruce said: “There is a shaking hands ritual here, everyone shakes hands with each other when we see each other in the morning. We have stopped that on the back of the virus.
“Let’s hope it doesn’t get any worse. We are like everyone else, glued to the TV seeing what happens next. We are mindful of bugs sweeping through.”
World Health Organization head Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus has told the BBC coronavirus has reached a “decisive point” and has “pandemic potential.”
In football, four Serie A games were postponed last weekend, while Thursday’s Europa League match between Inter and Ludogorets at the San Siro took place behind closed doors.
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