Daniele Rugani is the first top-flight footballer to fall victim to the coronavirus, which has killed 827 in Italy, the second most stricken country in the world after China.
Juventus and Italy defender Daniele Rugani
told fans 'don't worry, I'm fine' on Wednesday after becoming the first Serie A footballer to test positive for
the new coronavirus. The 25-year-old "is currently asymptomatic," the Italian champions said, but the
Turin-based club are "currently activating all the isolation procedures
required by law, including those who have had contact with him." "I
want to reassure all those who are worried about me, I'm fine," Rugani
later said on Instagram. "At this moment, however, I feel even more duty
to thank all the doctors and nurses who are struggling in hospitals to cope
with this crisis.
"I invite everyone to respect the rules, because this virus makes no
distinctions! Let's do it for ourselves, for our loved ones and for those
around us."
Rugani is the first
top-flight footballer to fall victim to the virus which has killed 827 in
Italy, the second most stricken country in the world after China, and infected
12,000 people, including several Serie C players.
Rugani has spent the
last seven years at league leaders Juventus apart from a two-year loan spell at
Empoli.
He has played just
three league games this season, most recently against Brescia on February 16
and SPAL on February 22.
He was on the bench
in Lyon for the Champions League last-16, first-leg clash on February 26 in
France and the team's last game against Inter Milan in Serie A on March 8.
Inter said Wednesday
that "all competitive activities have been suspended until further
notice" as a result of Rugani's positive test.
"The club is
currently taking steps to put all the necessary procedures into place,"
the Milan club said.
Juventus are due to
host Lyon in their Champions League return fixture behind closed doors in Turin
next Tuesday.
All sports in Italy
have been suspended until April 3, including Serie A football, but Champions
League and Europa League matches are under the
jurisdiction of UEFA.
UEFA called off two
Europa League games on Thursday between Italian and Spanish teams. Inter Milan
were set to host Getafe with Roma due to travel to Sevilla.
In the Champions
League, Barcelona are also due to host Italian club Napoli next
Wednesday.
Many Serie A clubs
had suspended training until next week but Juventus continued to train ahead of
their planned Champions League tie.
Juventus star
Cristiano Ronaldo is currently in Portugal with his mother who suffered a
stroke.
"Cristiano
Ronaldo did not train and remains in Madeira pending developments related to
the current health emergency," the team said earlier Wednesday.
Italy's 60 million
residents are in lockdown in a desperate bid to halt the spread of a virus
which claimed 196 lives in the last 24 hours.
Italian Prime
Minister Giuseppe Conte announced on Wednesday that all stores, except for
pharmacies and food shops, would now be shut.