China: Belgian football player positive for coronavirus

By Fatih Erel

ISTANBUL (AA) - Belgium international Marouane Fellaini has become the first football player in China with coronavirus.

The 32-year-old tested positive for the virus, his Chinese Super League club Shandong Luneng announced on Sunday.

He previously played in English Premier League clubs Everton and Manchester United.

The virus, which emerged in Wuhan, China last December, has spread to at least 170 countries and regions around the globe, while the tally of confirmed cases has topped 308,000, according to data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

The global death toll is over 13,000, causing a chain reaction as governments place countries on lockdown to stem the spread.

China, Italy, Iran, and Spain continue to be the most-affected countries.

Despite the rising number of cases, a vast majority of people contracting the virus suffer mild symptoms before making a recovery.