No More Handshakes, Autographs: Atlanta UGA Star Anthony Edwards

ATLANTA, GA — Atlanta University of Georgia Bulldogs Anthony Edwards shared Thursday night on Twitter that he won’t be “signing autographs or shaking hands” due to concerns about the spread of the new Coronavirus.

"I appreciate all my fans and everybody that is supporting me," he wrote on Twitter. "Due to the coronavirus, I will not be signing autographs or shaking hands for the time being."

Edwards is expected to be one of the top picks in the next NBA Draft.

The NBA previously advised players to avoid high-fives with fans and instead to fist bump.

In other countries, like Italy, sporting events will be played without fans until April 3.

A government statement to BBC Sport on Wednesday read:

There will be no sporting events with the presence of the public in order to prevent further contagion opportunities."The government's decree reads: "Sports events and competitions of all kinds and disciplines, held in every place, both public and private, are suspended; however it is permitted to carry out the aforementioned events and competitions behind closed doors, or outdoors without the presence of the public.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has formed a coronavirus advisory panel on Tuesday. With March Madness taking place in Atlanta, it says it’s monitoring the situation. The NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments begin on March 17.

The men's Final Four, also in Atlanta, will be played the weekend of April 4 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Women will be in New Orleans.

"NCAA staff continues to prepare for March Madness," Chris Radford, associate director of communications, told USA Today. "We are keenly aware of coronavirus and will continue to monitor in coordination with state/local health authorities and the CDC."

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The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Nancy Messonnier, said Tuesday that "disruption to everyday life may be severe" in the event of a U.S. outbreak.

“The NCAA is committed to conducting its championships and events in a safe and responsible manner,” said Donald Remy, NCAA chief operating officer in a public statement.”

He said the NCAA will evaluate the COVID-19 situation daily and will make decisions accordingly.

To date, there are more than 100,000 cases of the new coronavirus worldwide, including more than 3,400 deaths, Johns Hopkins reported Friday afternoon. Of that total, more than 80,000 cases are in China. There are 241 cases in the United States. Overnight, the number of U.S. deaths from the virus rose overnight by two to 14, with most of them from a single nursing home in the Seattle area.

The disease, which originated in Wuhan, China is caused by a member of the coronavirus that's a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses.