NEW YORK — The Chinese Basketball Association season has been postponed (leaving the American players there in limbo and not getting checks).
FIBA had basketball games in Asia played in empty stadiums.
In Italy, soccer games are being postponed, or played in front of mostly empty stadiums.
The Tokyo Marathon was limited to elite runners only, and fans were encouraged to stay home, not come out and cheer.
Around the globe, the spread of the coronavirus — specifically COVID-19 — has impacted sporting events big and small.
In the United States there have been relatively few cases — 74 officially as of Sunday — and one death, so it has not impacted day-to-day life the same way as in other nations.
Still, the NBA is monitoring the spread and talking with the Centers for Disease Control about possible outcomes, just in case. The league sent this statement to the Associated Press:
"The health and safety of our employees, teams, players and fans is paramount. We are coordinating with our teams and consulting with the CDC and infectious disease specialists on the coronavirus and continue to monitor the situation closely."
Currently, there are no plans to cancel or postpone NBA games.
Hopefully things to not get to that point, but the disease is spreading. There are currently 85,000 known cases worldwide resulting in 2,900 deaths. While an estimated 80% of the people who get the virus have very mild cases, however, the disease can lead to hospitalization and be life-threatening for some people, particularly the elderly or people with respiratory issues.
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