Coronavirus concerns not affecting Mariners’ spring training so far
The Seattle Mariners are in contact with Major League Baseball and the City of Peoria about the coronavirus outbreak, but do not have plans to alter the remainder of their spring-training schedule, a club official said Wednesday.
The club’s daily schedule in Arizona — which includes morning workouts at their Peoria facility and afternoon or night games around the greater Phoenix area — have not been impacted despite growing concerns about the virus back home.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Tuesday that MLB “does not presently plan to cancel or postpone spring-training or regular-season games,” but it has developed a task force to deal with any complications that arise this season.
A memo obtained by ESPN gave guidelines for how clubs should proceed, which included players steering clear of some contact with fans (avoiding handshakes, and not handling pens or objects fans give them for signing autographs), making sure players have had their flu vaccine this year and have also had all other necessary vaccinations, and establishing communication procedures with local health officials.
There has been one confirmed case and one presumptive positive case of COVID-19 in Arizona, both in Maricopa County, where Peoria is located, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services on Tuesday.
The Mariners have 21 spring training games remaining before they return to Seattle at the end of the month and begin a seven-game homestand against the Rangers and Twins. Opening Day is scheduled for March 26 against Texas.
Coronavirus is spread through contact between people within six feet of each other, especially through coughing and sneezing that expels respiratory droplets that land in the mouths or noses of people nearby. The CDC says it’s possible to catch the disease COVID-19 by touching something that has the virus on it, and then touching your own face, “but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.”
Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath, which may occur two days to two weeks after exposure.The disease is especially dangerous for the elderly and others with weaker immune systems.
So far, more than 94,000 cases have been reported worldwide, with about 3,200 deaths, the vast majority of them in China. In the U.S.,128 cases have been reported, including 10 deaths in Washington state out of 32 reported cases. In California, the first death was reported Wednesday, with 45 overall cases reported.
