Sports authorities and broadcasters have been summoned by the government for discussions on coronavirus contingency plans - as the Premier League considers banning over-70s at matches.

The meetings will be held in London on Monday and will cover various possibilities in case the virus spreads further.

On what could happen to the Premier League, Sky News' sports correspondent Martha Kelner said: "The Premier League is prepared for the possibility that Public Health England will advise that some fixtures this season will have to be played behind closed doors, as has been the case in other European leagues like Italy and Morocco.

"It is understood that the preference in the case of advice that the season be postponed or played behind closed doors would be that it continues without fans permitted inside stadiums."

She added: "The league is also considering other possible contingency plans.


"That may include advising against, or even a possible ban, on over-70s - the demographic considered to be at highest risk from the spread of COVID-19 - coming inside stadiums."

Such a ban may affect the former England and current Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson, who is 72.

Sky News also understands that the Premier League would consult with broadcasters about televising more matches in the event that COVID-19 causes games to be played behind closed doors.

Ministers will go over a wide range of scenarios for all sports in the hope of reaching agreements about a plan to protect the public.

The Premier League has so far not changed any football fixtures but has scrapped the traditional pre-match handshake between players.

Italy has already forced all top-flight Serie A games to be played without fans for a month in an attempt to curb the outbreak.

The Six Nations have postponed this weekend's Scotland v France women's match at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow after one of the Scotland players tested positive for coronavirus. The team had recently returned from northern Italy.

Seven members of management and players are self-isolating.

It follows the postponement of the men's match between Italy and England in Rome, which had been scheduled for 14 March.

And this weekend's clash between Ireland and Italy, due to be held in Dublin, is also off.

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Italy is the worst affected country in Europe, with more than 4,636 coronavirus cases, a rise of 778 in a day, and a death toll of 197, an increase of 49.

Two people in the UK have died after contracting coronavirus, including a man aged in his 80s in Milton Keynes, and 164 people have tested positive.

Britain's four-phase plan for dealing with the virus is in its initial "containment" stage but preparations for the next "delay" phase are advanced.

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A planning document this week said in the "delay" phase the government would consider taking action to reduce the number of large-scale gatherings to help slow the disease's spread.

Also in Rome, a Formula E race scheduled on 4 April will not take place, but alternative venues are being considered.

Meanwhile, players from Danish Super League clubs Brondby and Lyngby are in isolation after they met and hugged former Denmark international Thomas Kahlenberg, who has since tested positive for the virus.

Virus Outbreak: Global Emergency - Watch a special Sky News programme on coronavirus at 6pm weekdays