Player in Italian 3rd tier becomes 1st footballer diagnosed with coronavirus

An unnamed player for third-tier Italian club US Pianese has tested positive for the coronavirus, signifying the first documented case of a professional footballer in Europe contracting the disease.

The diagnosis was confirmed Thursday after the 22-year-old said he felt unwell at a hotel in the Piedmont region ahead of last week's Serie C match against Juventus' Under-23 side.

"Two new suspected positive cases of Coronavirus in Tuscany. Both are awaiting confirmation by the Higher Institute of Health," read a statement from the Tuscan region's website, as translated by ESPN.

"One is a 22-year-old man in the Siena province, a Pianese player, who last Saturday had symptoms in a hotel in Alessandria, where he was training with the team ahead of Sunday's game.

"He did not play the game as that morning, he had a high fever. The team returned to Piancastagnaio, while he went home. Wednesday morning, he was tested in his home and the results came back as positive in the evening."

The player has since been placed in isolation in a Siena hospital, with the statement adding he's in "good, healthy condition."

Pianese are monitoring another player who reported similar symptoms.

The World Health Organization said Wednesday that, for the first time, the virus is spreading faster outside of China, where it originated.

According to the BBC, the number of known cases in Italy has now reached 400. Northern regions of the country - Lombardy and Veneto - have been the worst affected, resulting in 12 deaths thus far.

Multiple matches in northern Italy were postponed last week in response to the outbreak, with a handful of games this weekend to be played behind closed doors.