Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan on Saturday (March 21) joined a bandwagon of cricketers to spread awareness among people about the novel Coronavirus outbreak, which has claimed more than 13,000 lives globally while infecting over 300,000 people.

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In a video message shared on Instagram, Pathan said there was no need to be afraid of the deadly virus.

"Hello, India. Everyone is currently in panic mode and afraid due to the novel coronavirus but you don't need to be. Wash your hands properly and try to wash dirts under your nails with soap and running water, also drink a lot of water and eat a lot of fruits to help your body build a strong immune system which can fight the coronavirus."

The 35-year-old, who recently announced his retirement from international cricket, also urged folks to practice social distancing

"We need to slightly change our attitude. I was sitting at my home yesterday and I heard trumpets blowing in a marriage procession and when I looked many people have gathered to celebrate, I know that marriage dates might have been pre-decided but now that you know the severity of the situation don't gather in public. Please follow government instructions now that you know coronavirus can spread, it depends on our attitude."

Irfan also cited a unique example to make people understand the importance of social distancing in the current situation.

"We talk about traffic but we jump the red lights on a traffic signal. It's the same like that and it depends a lot on our attitude. We don't need to be afraid but just take care of ourselves and people around us."

 

 

 

 

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Don’t be scared of the #corona virus but be vigilant. Take care of the sanitation. But importantly have a right attitude towards yourself and others #care

A post shared by Irfan Pathan (@irfanpathan_official) on Mar 21, 2020 at 6:11am PDT

The crisis has also hit the cricketing world. Almost all the series and tournaments have been either cancelled or rescheduled.

It remains to be seen if the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will be able to hold Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 from April 15, given the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country. The cash-rich event was rescheduled from March 29 to mid-April due to the epidemic last week.

As of Sunday (March 21), India has tested more than 320 positive cases for Coronavirus and recorded six deaths owing to the pandemic.