Coronavirus: Four more Sampdoria players test positive following Gabbiadini diagnosis

Sampdoria have announced that four more players have tested positive for coronavirus following an initial diagnosis for former Southampton striker Manolo Gabbiadini.

Gabbiadini became the second Serie A player to contract the disease earlier this week, with Juventus defender Daniele Rugani the first. Subsequently, Gabbiadini's teammates Omar Colley, Albin Ekdal, Antonino La Gumina and Morten Thorsby have all received positive tests alongside Dr Amedeo Baldari, a member of the club's medical staff.

As things stand, Sampdoria are 16th in Serie A and only one point above the relegation zone.

More teams

The team three places above them in the table, Fiorentina, have also confirmed their first case of coronavirus, with Dusan Vlahovic the latest player to test positive and go into isolation at home.

A statement on Sampdoria's website read: "UC Sampdoria announces that, following Manolo Gabbiadini's positive test for COVID-19, in light of mild symptoms, players Omar Colley, Albin Ekdal, Antonino La Gumina and Morten Thorsby have received positive results, as has Dr Amedeo Baldari. They are all in good health and at home in Genoa.

"UC Sampdoria reiterates that it has immediately applied all procedures required by law: all the club's premises are closed, and the players, management and employees potentially involved are in voluntary self-isolation at home. We can confirm that all sports activities are suspended and that essential organisational responsibilities are being carried out remotely.

"Club president Massimo Ferrero, the management, Claudio Ranieri and the team invite everyone to respect, with rigour and firmness, the ministerial and regional recommendations and to face together, with courage and the spirit of collective sacrifice, this difficult time. Everything will be fine. United we will do it. Stay at home."

After China, where the coronavirus pandemic originated, Italy has been the worst affected country. Over 1,000 people have died with at least 15,000 confirmed cases on Italian soil, while tight restrictions on movement and public gatherings have come into place.

Serie A and Serie B have been suspended until April 3 at the earliest but, as with the Premier League, further postponements are possible and there is no guarantee that the season will be completed.

The league, however, is hopeful of returning to play this season.

"The position, shared yesterday with the clubs and followed by all the other European Leagues, remains to end the sporting activity by concluding the national championships in the coming months, resuming them when the sanitary conditions will allow it," the league said in a statement.