Updated Mar 12, 2020 - Health

NBA suspends season after player tests positive for coronavirus

A detailed view of a coronavirus poster outside men's restroom prior to the game between the Miami Heat and the Charlotte Hornets at American Airlines Arena on March 11 — A coronavirus information poster outside a restroom at the American Airlines Arena on Wednesday in Miami. Photo: Michael Reaves/Getty Images

The NBA suspended all games Wednesday evening until further notice in response to the novel coronavirus outbreak after a Utah Jazz player returned a positive result for the virus in a preliminary test.

Why it matters: It's the latest in a wave of event cancellations as organizations seek to limit large gatherings over the global pandemic.

Details: The test result was reported just before Wednesday's game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Jazz, after which the game was subsequently canceled, the NBA's statement said.

"The affected player was not in the arena," the NBA added.
Neither the Utah Jazz nor the NBA identified the player, but the official injury report lists the team's players Rudy Gobert and Emmanuel Mudiay as out due to "injury/illness."

Of note: The National Hockey League said a statement that it's "aware of the NBA’s decision tonight to indefinitely suspend its season due to a player testing positive" to the virus.

"The NHL is continuing to consult with medical experts and is evaluating the options," the statement said. "We expect to have a further update tomorrow."

The big picture: There are more than 126,000 cases in over 100 countries and territories with more than 4,600 deaths. The U.S. has more than 1,300 cases as of 11pm ET.

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Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

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NBA suspends season after player tests positive for coronavirus

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