Serie A side Inter Milan donate Sh11 million to coronavirus research

Serie A - Inter Milan v AS Roma - San Siro, Milan, Italy - December 6, 2019 AS Roma's Chris Smalling and Inter Milan's Romelu Lukaku embrace after the match. [REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo]

Serie A side Inter Milan and their president Steven Zhang have donated Sh11 million (€100,000) to coronavirus, COVID-19, research.

President Zhang confirmed on Thursday the money was given to the Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences at the Sacco Hospital in Milan, Italy to try and combat the virus.

"Inter has an indissoluble bond with the city of Milan and is proud of the dedication with which all the staff of the Sacco Hospital are dealing with the exceptional situation.

"Since the beginning of the Coronavirus emergency we have followed with particular attention and apprehension the evolution of the situation, both as a Club and as a shareholder, stressing in all locations as the only priority was public health and safety.

"It is for this reason that FC Internazionale Milano feels the duty to support the Sacco Hospital,” said Zhang.

Growing fears concerning the global spread of COVID-19 have begun to manifest into official postponement or cancellation sporting of events in Italy and China, countries which usually experience large gatherings during football matches.

Sports leagues and organisers are weighing whether to take immediate action or wait-and-see approaches.

What is known at this point is that these entities are acknowledging that the disease presents some sort of threat to their plans.

Inter Milan president Steven Zhang. [Courtesy]

Inter’s move comes a day after the Italian government on Wednesday confirmed that all sporting events will from now on be staged behind closed doors until 3 April, affecting England’s Six Nations matches against Italy in Rome and all Serie A games, after the country’s death toll from the coronavirus passed 100.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) ALSO announced a Sh5 trillion ($50 billion) package on Wednesday to help fight coronavirus.

According to IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, most of the money will be interest-free and countries do not need to have a preexisting program with the IMF to participate.

“What we’re doing right now is reviewing country by country what are the financial needs, and engaging with these countries to make sure they are aware of this resource and we can immediately respond to them.

“We’re in an early stage of engagement, but I can assure you that we will act very quickly as requests come,” said Georgieva.

The World Bank announced a Sh1 trillion ($12 billion) program on Monday to help poor nations deal with the health effects of the virus.

There are now more than 90,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus around the world.