The Fifa president Gianni Infantino has not ruled out postponing international matches as the coronavirus outbreak continues to escalate. Speaking in Belfast before Saturday’s AGM of the International Football Association Board, Infantino said Fifa would do whatever was necessary.

This weekend’s matches in the top two divisions in Switzerland were postponed on Friday after the government banned all events involving more than 1,000 people, while in Italy five Serie A games will be played behind closed doors. The leagues in Japan and South Korea were postponed earlier this week.

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Infantino said: “The health of persons is much more important than any football game. That’s why we have to look at the situation and hope that it will decrease rather than increase. At the moment it looks like it is still increasing. If games have to be postponed or played without spectators until it is over, then we have to go through that.”

Infantino is hopeful next month’s international friendlies will go ahead, saying: “I wouldn’t exclude anything at this moment. I hope we will never have to get into this direction. I think it will be difficult in any case to make a global ban because the situation is really different.”

He could not foresee a situation where large numbers of matches are played behind closed doors. “I don’t think it is sustainable, but that is my personal view,” said Infantino. “Every competition organiser has to decide what is best for him. In the short term it can be a solution in order to move on but you cannot imagine a few months of a competition with several matches played behind closed doors.”

Meanwhile, the threat of catching coronavirus has persuaded Newcastle to abandon a cherished morning ritual. Players have become accustomed to shaking hands with every teammate and member of the backroom staff each day as they assemble for training but the practice has been temporarily halted on medical advice.

“There’s a ritual here that everybody shakes hands with everybody as soon as we see each other every morning,” said Steve Bruce as he prepared for Saturday’s home game against Burnley, “but we’ve stopped that on the advice of our club doctor.

“Thankfully, we’ve got a superb doctor and he will keep us informed of what we have to do. We’re like everybody else, we’re glued to the TV for where it’s going to go next. Everybody has to be respectful of it, don’t we? It’s been rammed down our throats often enough on TV and the rest of it.”

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The potential need to confront cCoronavirus represents uncharted waters for the football community but clubs are familiar with the need to isolate and quarantine individuals to cope with other viruses and infections.

“In confined areas, like we’ve got here, you have to be careful,” Bruce said. “There was a time over Christmas when there was a virus knocking around – not coronavirus – so we’re a bit mindful of the fact a bug can sweep through.

“We had four or five players at Christmas and two of my staff [suffering from the virus], so you stay at home, basically.

“Stephen Clemence [the first-team coach] didn’t travel to Manchester United. It’s always something you’re looking at.

“When you’re in a small environment like we are, you have to guard against things like shaking hands. If someone has a bug or whatever they stay away, because otherwise it rapidly spreads.”

The handshake ban has not prevented Newcastle players from socialising and this week they had a barbecue to celebrate their Argentinian centre-half Federico Fernández’s 31st birthday. “The South Americans have meat rather than cake for birthdays,” Bruce said. “We’ve had that much steak it’s incredible but there’s a unique spirit among my players.”