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Nebraska basketball coach Fred Hoiberg has issued a statement after he was taken to the hospital on Wednesday night. Hoiberg could be seen on the sideline looking visibly ill before leaving the game in the second half.
After being examined at the hospital, Hoiberg was diagnosed with influenza A (common cold).
“Please let it be known that I would never do anything that would put my team, family or anyone else in harm’s way. I was feeling under the weather on Wednesday and we felt the right thing to do was to get checked by a tournament doctor prior to our game in the Big Ten Tournament against Indiana,” Hoiberg said in a statement released on Thursday morning.
“Once that medical official cleared me, I made a decision to coach my team. I would like to thank event staff for their care and professionalism. Also, thank you to everyone who has reached out for your support. This is a scary time for all of us. Let’s offer our thoughts and prayers directly to those affected with Coronavirus.”
The Cornhuskers now sit at 7–25 on the season following their 89-64 loss to Indiana on Wednesday night.
The coronavirus outbreak has led to the cancellation or postponing of many large events including Coachella, SXSW, the Winter X Games, Stagecoach, Ultra Music Festival in Miami, and more. The NBA also announced it will be suspending play until further notice, while the NCAA Tournament will be held without fans.
In the United States, coronavirus cases have topped 1,000 across 34 states with at least 32 deaths — most of the deaths in the state of Washington.
The coronavirus mainly comes from animals and a majority of those who were infected early either worked at or frequently visited the Huanan seafood wholesale market in Wuhan, according to The Guardian. The virus is similar to Severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (Mers).
The Wuhan coronavirus is transmitted from person to person through “droplet transmission.” That means an infected person can pass the virus by sneezing or coughing on another person as well as by direct contact.
While a majority of the cases have been detected in China, it has now reached many countries around the world including the United States. It has also been confirmed in Italy, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and many other eastern countries.
