Coronavirus: NBA hiatus to last for at least 30 days

The National Basketball Association (NBA) on Friday confirmed that the league's hiatus would last for at least 30 days amidst the coronavirus outbreak.

The decision to suspend NBA was taken on Thursday, however, at that time, it was not clarified as to for how long it is being suspended.

Taking to Twitter, the NBA said: "As you know, we have temporarily suspended our season in response to the coronavirus pandemic. We made this decision to safeguard the health and well-being of fans, players, everyone connected to our game and the general public. This hiatus will last at least 30 days and we intend to resume the season, if and when it becomes safe for all concerned".

"As we develop the appropriate course for future NBA games and events, we will keep you informed of any changes as soon as they happen. Tickets already purchased for a postponed game will be honored when the game is rescheduled," the statement added.

The NBA had announced the suspension of its season after a player was found to have "preliminarily tested positive" for coronavirus.

Utah Jazz was scheduled to take on Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Wednesday but the match was abruptly postponed. The league said that Utah Jazz's player preliminarily tested positive for COVID-19, shortly before the start of the game.

The coronavirus disease was first detected in Wuhan in China's Hubei province, in late December, and has since spread worldwide.

More than 127,000 people have been infected with COVID-19, with over 4,700 having died and 68,000 recovered.

About 600 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the United Kingdom with eight fatalities, according to the Department of Health and Social Care.

On Wednesday, World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the COVID-19 outbreak could be characterised as a pandemic.