ARCHIVED - Spanish football coronavirus response upgraded with the cancellation of lower division fixtures

Image: Real Murcia Twitter

All Murcia football teams face a forced rest period of at least two weeks

Just a day after it was announced that all sporting events in Spain were to be held behind closed doors for at least two weeks in an effort to halt the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic, the RFEF Spanish football federation has opted instead to postpone all matches in the lower divisions of the league structure.

For the time being at least the matches scheduled in the top two flights of Spanish football will go ahead, although without spectators, but those in the four groups of the Second Division B and the 13 Third Division groups have been postponed. This affects all of the teams involved in the Region of Murcia, including Real Murcia, FC Cartagena, Yeclano and UCAM Murcia in the 4^th group of Segunda B and all of those in group 13 of the Third Division.

Similarly, a recommendation has been issued by the RFEF to suspend fixtures in age group leagues throughout the country.

At the same time, the forthcoming schedule for the popular Futsal national league has also been placed on hold, affecting both ElPozo Murcia and Jimbee Cartagena in the top division, although in basketball the fixture list remains intact.

Developments are happening so fast in Spain at the moment, though, that any event which is still going ahead has to be tagged with the phrase “for the time being”, and many are lobbying for the first division football programme to be postponed before the next matches get under way on Friday evening…

Click here for the latest official figures regarding the coronavirus epidemic in Spain and the measures implemented by the national and regional governments.

Patients diagnosed with Covid-19 in Murcia

1 - A 27-year-old woman who contracted the virus in Madrid while attending the ARCO contemporary arts fair. In isolation at home.

2 and 3 - A 5-month-old baby and her mother, both of whom had travelled to and from Madrid by bus, returning to Totana. In the Arrixaca hospital in El Palmar.

4 – A 28-year-old friend of the first patient who lives in Valencia but had gone to Madrid with her friend and was diagnosed positive in Murcia. In isolation at home.

5 – A woman who also contracted the virus in Madrid. In isolation at home.

6 and 7 – Two men aged 70 and 26 who were infected in Madrid. In isolation at home.

8 – A man who is believed to have contracted the virus from a contact in Alicante, who originally contracted the virus in Madrid.

9 - A 40-year-old woman with "mild "symptoms who is believed to have contracted the virus in Madrid.

10 – Female Erasmus student who returned from Italy to Cartagena.

11 – Unidentified female patient who was infected in Madrid.

12 to 17 – 6 new cases reported on Wednesday including two in whom the virus was contracted within the Region of Murcia.

What to do if you are in the Region of Murcia and believe you may have contracted the virus

The regional government has set up a special helpline to supply information to members of the public (900 121212), and also urges people to call the 112 emergency services line if they suspect that they may have contracted the virus rather than going straight to hospital or to a medical centre. Medical staff will be sent to your home to test for the virus.

The Region’s public hospitals have limited the number of visitors to just one per patient.

Sensible precautions

The advice being issued to members of the public by medical authorities all over the world coincides on the following points:

- Wash hands frequently with either soap and water or a sanitiser gel

- Catch coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues – and throw the tissues away immediately after use before immediately washing your hands!

- If you don’t have a tissue, use your sleeve – and wash the item of clothing used at the next opportunity

- AVOID touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands

- AVOID close contact with people who are unwell

- Don´t panic!