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Paderborn players (blue jersey) in action during their Bundesliga clash with Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena, Germany, February 21, 2020. /VCG
Paderborn defender Luca Kilian became the first Bundesliga player to test positive for COVID-19 on Friday as sports events worldwide were swept aside by the pandemic.
"After initial tests for coronavirus, head coach Steffen Baumgart has been cleared but central defender Luca Kilian, who has not played for a few weeks due to an injury, were diagnosed with the illness," read a Paderborn statement.
Kilian, 20, has made 13 league appearances this season but an injury scuppered his campaign and his last match dated back to January 19.
"In close coordination with the local authorities, the club will take extensive measures to contain the virus. Tomorrow, on Saturday, the players and all members of the team will undergo a test," Paderborn added.
"The health of our players and staff continues to be the absolute priority," said the club's sporting director Martin Przondzionos. "We will do everything to keep the illness in check and give our players and staff the best possible medical assistance and care."
Paderborn was due to play at Fortuna Duesseldorf on Friday night but the German football league eventually called off the weekend's games earlier after bowing to pressure as the number of positive cases among second division sides increased.
Hannover were the first to quarantine their team after two players Timo Hubers and Jannes Horn tested positive for the virus, with Nuremberg following suit on Friday after defender Fabian Nurnberger was also found to be infected with COVID-19.
Sampdoria star Manolo Gabbiadini during their Serie A match against Brescia Calcio at Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Italy, January 12, 2020. /VCG
Elsewhere in Italy, four more players at Sampdoria plus one from Fiorentina have tested positive for coronavirus, the two clubs said on Friday, bringing the total number of infected players in Serie A to seven.
Sampdoria, based in Genoa, said the players – Norwegian Morten Thorsby, Swede Albin Ekdal, Gambian Omar Colley and Italian Antonino La Gumina and team doctor Amedeo Baldari – were all doing well.
"They are all in good health and in their homes in Genoa," said the club in a statement.
"Sampdoria reiterates that it has immediately applied all the procedures stipulated by the regulations: all club premises are closed, the team, managers and employees potentially involved are in voluntary home isolation," it added.
Thorsby, Ekdal and Colley have all been regulars this season while La Gumina has made one first-team appearance.
Sampdoria's last game was on Sunday against Verona who have gone into self-isolation.
Fiorentina said that their Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic had also tested positive. "He is at home and currently does not have any symptoms," said the Florence-based club.
Juventus defender Daniele Rugani was the first top-flight player to test positive for COVID-19
and Sampdoria forward Manolo Gabbiadini was also diagnosed with the virus earlier in the week.
Serie A has been suspended until at least April 3 amid a general ban on sporting events in Italy, the European country which has been worst-affected by the coronavirus.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has tested positive for the coronavirus. /VCG
In England, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said he is "feeling better already" after
testing positive for COVID-19 along with Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi
.
"Thanks for your words and support," the 37-year-old wrote on Twitter. "We're all facing a huge and unprecedented challenge."
"Everyone's health is all that matters right now. Protect each other by following the guidelines. We'll come through this together."
Hudson-Odoi – the first Premier League player confirmed to have tested positive – has also said that he has already recovered from the illness.
"Hi guys, as you may be aware I had the virus for the last couple of days, which I've recovered from," he said in a video sent from self-isolation.
"I'm following the health guidelines and self-isolating myself from everybody for the week. I hope to see everybody soon and hope to be back on the pitch very soon."
Meanwhile, Everton announced a player is in self-isolation for seven days after reporting a high temperature. The rest of their first-team squad and coaching staff have been told to stay away from all of the Merseyside club's sites.
Leicester City had three players go into self-isolation and Bournemouth said goalkeeper Artur Boruc and four staff members were taking the same precaution.
West Ham staff are also self-isolating as they faced Arteta's Arsenal six days ago at the Emirates.
Matches in the English Football League, Women's Super League, all football in Scotland and international friendlies for England and Wales have been suspended.
(With input from agencies)
