Australia batsman Usman Khawaja has asked everyone to stay safe amid the pandemic coronavirus and also urged to take it seriously.

“Just because the mortality rates for COVID-19 for many isn’t high, doesn’t mean you should have a blase attitude. It’s our responsibility as a society to think about the elderly and the social and economical cost this will have on so many lives. We all need to do our part,” Usman Khawaja said in a tweet.

“The more seriously we take it, then hopefully, the quicker we can get through it and the less amount of lives that are affected both medically and financially. We need to think about others, not just ourselves,” he added.

Usman Khawaja did not feature in the Australian team which took on New Zealand in the bilateral series that getting called off. Australia had thrashed the Kiwis by 71 runs in the first ODI of three-match series in Sydney which was played in an empty stand at SCG. As of Saturday, Australia has registered 791 confirmed coronavirus cases where seven have died.

Coronavirus has affected not only everyone’s lives but also sporting events across the globe which included the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League where no decision took place as the situation has not changed much in the last few days amid the novel coronavirus pandemic in the country as well as globally.

Earlier the BCCI has postponed the start date of the tournament from March 29 to April 15 as India currently reported more than 300 positive cases and seven deaths for COVID-19 so far. While all the foreign visas have already been put on hold till April 15, the BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has said that a “truncated IPL” can take place where a minimum 17 days already lost.

“Nothing concrete was discussed in today’s meeting (con-call). It was just a follow up meeting. The situation has not changed in 48 hours, so talking about hosting the IPL is still pre-mature,” an IPL franchise owner said to PTI on conditions of anonymity.  “We have to wait and watch. We will keep doing these con calls on a weekly basis to take stock of the situation.”