Coronavirus Forces Pac-12 To Cancel All Sporting Events, Including Men's Tourney

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – The Pac-12 Conference announced Thursday it has canceled all remaining men's basketball tournament games as well as all other sports competitions amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The Pac-12 men's tournament began Wednesday. On Wednesday night, the Pac-12 announced that the remainder of the tournament would be played behind closed doors, with no fans allowed.

Then on Thursday, after the AAC, SEC and Big Ten all announced they were canceling their tournaments, the Pac-12 followed suit. The Big West Conference also announced Thursday it had canceled its tournament, this after it initially went to a no-fans format.

The NCAA announced Wednesday that its March Madness tournament would go forward, but with no spectators.

Also Wednesday, the NBA suspended all its games after a player on the Utah Jazz, Rudy Gobert, tested positive for COVID-19. On Thursday, a second member of the Jazz, Donovan Mitchell, also tested positive. Major League Soccer made the same decision on Thursday.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 — the disease caused by the coronavirus — is spread from person-to-person through close contact, usually within 6 feet, and mainly via respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. People are likely most contagious when they are most symptomatic. Coronavirus can also be spread by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your mouth, nose and eyes.