The coronavirus, officially named Covid-19, first emerged in China towards the end of last year but has spread to a number of other countries since, including Italy.

It was confirmed on Sunday (AEDT) that two Italian people who had been infected have died — a 78-year-old man from Padua, Veneto, as well as a woman in Lombardy.

According to Italian news agency ANSA, 88 amateur football matches scheduled to take place in Lombardy on Saturday had been postponed, while Serie C and Serie D games were also impacted.

Ascoli's home match with Cremonese, which is from Cremona, Lombardy, in the eastern Marche region, was the most high-profile match to be called off, after a decision from the Operational Safety Group (GOS).

This comes after the Cremonese youth team's match with Brescia in Primavera 2 did not go ahead because of the "health emergency" in Cremona.

A Lega Serie B statement confirming the postponement of the youth fixture, read: "Because of the health emergency after contagions for coronavirus which is involving Cremonese, which has also led to the closure of all schools in the city by order of the mayor, and in agreement with the two clubs, Lega B postpones the Primavera 2 match between Cremonese and Brescia scheduled for the Arvedi sports centre today."