MLB Announces Task Force to Address Coronavirus

The world at large faces growing concern about the coronavirus epidemic, as the illness has made its way into the United States, and large-scale, densely-populated areas have become danger zones. While soccer teams in Europe and Asia have gone as far as to cancel games, Major League Baseball is taking a different approach.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, MLB won't cancel games at this juncture, but will instead implement an internal task force that will tell teams, managers, and players how to deal with the outbreak in the coming months.

The league sent out a memo to each team, telling their players to refrain from taking baseballs and pens from fans for the purpose of autographs. Additionally, players shouldn't shake hands with anyone to prevent potential infection.

MLB also recommended to teams that they don't travel to countries labeled with a Level 2 or 3 warning by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Additionally, the league suggested that front offices consult their local infectious disease specialists, while also making sure that their players have gotten their latest flu vaccination.

The coronavirus (COVID0-19) differs from the standard flu, as it is caused by a variety of viruses, where symptoms range from those of the common cold to serious respiratory diseases and kidney failure. So far, there are 107 known cases of the illness in the United States, with the death toll rising to seven, as of Tuesday.

MLB regular season games won't be sacrificed in the midst of this viral outbreak, at least for now.