Coronavirus

Premiership Rugby's decision followed new guidance from the United Kingdom government on Monday.

British prime minister Boris Johnson encouraged people to avoid mass gatherings and all "non-essential" travel and contact with others.

"The safety of our fans, players and staff is our first priority, and we would like to wish all of those who are affected our heartfelt best wishes and a very speedy recovery," a Premiership Rugby statement read.

The NRL season got underway last week and is scheduled to continue behind closed doors from round two.

But there are concerns over the financial impact of playing without fans or the season possibly being suspended due to the coronavirus.

Greenberg said there was a possibility star players may be asked to take pay cuts if the season was hugely impacted.

Media release - https://t.co/YMcR7LfvZz pic.twitter.com/MRjWtOLJYI

The NBA was this week suspended indefinitely amid the spread of COVID-19, with league commissioner Adam Silver saying that will remain the case for at least 30 days.

In response, Kevin Love, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Blake Griffin all donated $100,000 to the arena staff of their respective teams to help those who will be hardest hit by the halting of NBA action.

Zion Williamson vowed to cover the salaries of all staff at the New Orleans Pelicans' Smoothie King Center for the next month.

Jurgen Klopp's men are 25 points clear at the top and need just two wins to secure their first Premier League title, but no more fixtures will be played until at least early April due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As a result of the prolonged break, no collections for FSF – a charity set up to support the city's most vulnerable -– will take place at Anfield for the foreseeable future.

However, Liverpool announced on Saturday their players, along with the LFC Foundation, Red Neighbours and club staff, will step in by making a large donation to North Liverpool Foodbank.

Under the decree being finalised, people would be allowed out only for emergencies, to buy food, or for work.

With 191 deaths and 6,046 infections, Spain is the worst-hit country in Europe after Italy, which declared a nationwide lockdown on Monday.

The US is extending its European travel ban to the UK and the Republic of Ireland from Monday.

President Donald Trump confirmed the news in answer to a reporter's question at the White House.

On Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Europe was now the "epicentre" of the pandemic.

The Bulls suffered a defeat to Reds in Brisbane on Saturday and was scheduled to face the Waratahs before heading to New Zealand on their four-week Australia tour.

However, the Bulls are now returning home following SANZAAR’s decision to suspend the tournament indefinitely amid the global Coronavirus pandemic.

Following SANZAAR’S announcement of the Super Rugby tournament being suspended, we can confirm that the Bulls team will be returning to South Africa and are expected to touch down on Monday evening.

"This is very important," Scott Morrison said at a briefing, adding that the measure would take effect from midnight on Sunday (13:00 GMT).

The measures mirror those announced by New Zealand on Saturday.

Foreign cruise liners will also be banned from docking in Australia for 30 days, but schools will remain open.

Australia has reported nearly 250 confirmed cases, with three deaths.

Competitions including the Premier League, the NBA and Formula One were off as sport attempts to combat the spread of the virus.

There have been over 160,000 confirmed cases and more than 6,000 deaths worldwide.

Without work to keep them busy, athletes were finding other ways to entertain themselves - and often posting evidence online.

Tyson Fury would not have been in boxing action this weekend, as it is just weeks since his stunning world heavyweight title defeat of Deontay Wilder, but he was still impacted by coronavirus.

Last weekend's Pasifika festival was cancelled amid fears that coronavirus could be spread.

So far, Polyfest's organisers are pushing ahead with the event in Manukau, saying extra precautions were being taken.

But Auckland councillor for Manukau, Efeso Collins, said people in the community were increasingly worried.

"Yeah, it's an absolute nightmare when you organise stages to go up but I think that nightmare is liveable if you know that you are not going to have serious health effects come out of holding the Polyfest.

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero has declared a state of public health emergency in the US territory, which is also a hub for travel in the North Pacific.

"All three confirmed cases are currently in isolation," Ms Guerrero said in a statement.

"Preliminary investigation has indicated that all three had travel connections - two recently travelled to the Philippines and the third had a family member who recently returned from Japan."

The two who travelled from the Philippines were on a United Airlines flight from Manila on 2 March.