China: Spread Of Virus Casts Doubts Over Chinese Grand Prix, Other Competitions 

The increasing spread of the Chinese coronavirus (2019 nCoV) has raised doubts over the chances of China hosting  major sports competitions, including the Grand Prix in March and the World Indoor Athletics Championship.

Since the outbreak of the Wuhan Coronavirus, over 108 people have been reported dead out of 4,500 cases recorded across the world.Report has it that one of the teams- Team GB is set to pull out of the World Indoor Athletics Championship in Nanjing as a result of the outbreak. 

Some countries have already banned air flights to and from China, as British Airways and Germany has suspended all direct flights to and from mainland China, while Australia, Japan, the US and the EU are repatriating citizens resident in the country.

It is reported that if the epidemic persists at the current rate, the Chinese Grand Prix this year may not hold as officials of the Formula 1 are continuously monitoring the situation.

An expert at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in Stockholm, Sergio Brusin told reporters that: “The virus is still spreading, there is no doubt about it.”

“There has been a huge increase of cases in China and more countries importing cases. We are seeing human to human transmission outside the area of Wuhan that can indicate that it will spread further.

“It is not going to be easy [for the race to go ahead].

“We are in for the long run. It is not something that is going to disappear next week, it will be quite a lot of work to contain.”