Soccer-Fourth player at Serie C's Pianese tests positive for coronavirus

A fourth player at Italian third tier side Pianese has tested positive for the coronavirus, the club said on Saturday. "After a series of checks, Pianese announce that a fourth player is infected by Covid-19. He too is in solitary confinement at home and is under observation by the relevant authorities," the Serie C club said in a statement.

One member of staff has also been infected and the club, based in Piancastagnaio in the region of Tuscany, said on Friday that the entire squad has been quarantined in their homes. The club said the first player tested positive on Thursday, several days after he missed a match because he was feeling slightly feverish.

Nearly 900 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Italy, and cafes and schools have been closed as daily life has ground to a halt. Twenty of the 30 Serie C matches this weekend have been postponed because of the virus. Five Serie A games have also been called off.