ANKARA

Fenerbahce football club announced on Wednesday afternoon that a player and a medical staff were showing the COVID-19 symptoms.

The Istanbul club said on its official website that the senior football team, technical staff, and administrative personnel have been tested on club premises.

"Following the tests, one of our players and a medical staff member showed the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms," Fenerbahce said, without citing names.

It added that the infected persons were sent to the hospital for further examination and treatment.

Last weekend, players and staff of Turkey's Fenerbahce Beko basketball team have been showing coronavirus symptoms, the club announced.

"Coronavirus symptoms were detected in some of our basketball players and staff during routine checks," the club said in a statement on Saturday.

Turkey has so far 1,872 confirmed cases of coronavirus pandemic, with the death toll at 44, according to the Health Ministry.

After first appearing in Wuhan, China last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 171 countries and territories. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a pandemic.

The number of confirmed cases worldwide has now surpassed 435,000 while the death toll is over 19,500 and more than 111,500 have recovered.

Despite the rising number of cases, most who contract the virus suffer only mild symptoms before making a recovery.