NBA tells players to avoid high-fives with fans amid coronavirus fears

The NBA has urged its players to avoid physical contact including high-fives with fans and strangers amid fears of an outbreak of coronavirus in the U.S.

© Getty Images NBA tells players to avoid high-fives with fans amid coronavirus fears

In a memo sent to teams Sunday, league officials spelled out a list of 10 recommendations including avoiding physical contact with fans as well as accepting items such as pens, jerseys, or basketballs from people seeking autographs, according to The Associated Press.

NBA officials added that the league was in regular contact with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health experts to learn more about keeping players and fans safe amid the worldwide outbreak.

"We are also in regular communication with each other, NBA teams including team physicians and athletic trainers, other professional sports leagues, and of course, many of you," the league said.

More than 3,000 people have died globally from the disease, including a handful in the U.S., all in Washington state. Tens of thousands of people globally have been infected by the disease, with many of the initial cases being reported in China, where it is thought to have originated.

"The coronavirus remains a situation with the potential to change rapidly - the NBA and the Players Association will continue to work with leading experts and team physicians to provide up-to-date information and recommended practices that should be followed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus," the league added.