No handshakes or handling unknown phones, advises BCCI

Dharamsala, March 11:  The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) issued health guidelines for players ahead of the home ODI series between India and South Africa amid concern over the detection of coronavirus cases in the country. South Africa are touring India for a three-match ODI series starting on Thursday.

"The Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) medical team has been monitoring the current coronavirus, COVID-19 situation. All the players, team support staff, State Associations have been briefed about the standard guidelines issued by WHO as well as the Ministry of Health & Welfare, Government of India," said the BCCI in a statement.

The board said that the players have been informed about the "Do's and Don'ts of personal hygiene" which include avoiding "close contact & interaction with individuals outside the team environment" and avoiding "handshake, handling unknown phones for selfies."

"The BCCI has also issued a mandate to the airlines, team hotels, State Associations and medical teams at venues about the thorough sanitization of all the facilities before and during team use, education of all staff members about the do's and don'ts for prevention of COVID-19 transmission and continuous monitoring to ensure that the protocols are strictly followed," the board said in its statement.

"To ensure the safety of the spectators, the State Associations along with the healthcare service providers/hospitals are ensuring that appropriate information, education and communication material in the form of posters/hoardings and public announcements regarding the precautions to be taken by everyone against the spread of coronavirus COVID-19 are being provided.

"All the public washrooms at the stadium will be stocked with hand wash liquids and sanitizers. The medical staff and first aiders at the stadiums will be keeping a record of all patients seeking treatment and follow up as may be necessary."

The first ODI between India and South Africa on Thursday may be held in a largely empty stadium due to the coronavirus scare. Around 58 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported so far in the country and the picturesque stadium could wear an empty look as the two teams fight it out in the first game of the three-match series.

Close to 40 per cent of the tickets of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium, some 250 km from the state capital -- with a seating capacity of 22,000 -- remained unsold till Wednesday, match organisers told IANS.