ANKARA 

Manchester United will pay for the English club's casual workers to protect their earnings amid concerns over the novel coronavirus.

"Manchester United will pay all its loyal matchday and non-matchday casual workers, should Premier League games be cancelled or played behind closed doors for the remainder of this season," the club said on Thursday on its website.

"This goodwill gesture reflects the club’s desire to reduce the financial uncertainty facing its casual workforce, and is in recognition of the crucial role they play in delivering services to supporters," Manchester United added.

The COVID-19 fears forced English Premier League suspend matches until at least April 30.

This season Manchester United have four Premier League matches at their home Old Trafford.

The virus, which emerged in Wuhan, China last December, has spread to at least 160 countries and regions around the globe, while the tally of confirmed cases exceeded 244,500, with a death toll of over 10,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the U.S.

In all, more than 86,000 people diagnosed with COVID-19 have recovered from the disease so far.

The National Health Service announced the U.K.-wide death toll rose to 144 on Thursday, with 3,269 positive cases in the country.

Around four out of 10 coronavirus deaths are in London, according to various reports.

The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a pandemic.