Mako Vunipola to miss England vs Wales in Six Nations as precaution for coronavirus
Mako Vunipola will miss England's Six Nations match with Wales on Saturday as a precaution for coronavirus.
The Saracens prop has not been in camp since returning to the UK from Tonga, having flown back via Hong Kong, which saw the RFU keep the player away from his teammates.
He is not currently displaying any coronavirus symptoms, but the current guidance around self-isolation means it's likely he will miss the remainder of the tournament.
Travellers returning from areas where the virus is prevalent are being asked to self-isolate if they have symptoms and remain there for 14 days.
It means Joe Marler and Ellis Genge will be loosehead options for head coach Eddie Jones at Twickenham this weekend.
"We will give the guys a go who were there. Mako is a world class player, but the guys have been doing a great job," forwards coach Matt Proudfoot said.
What is coronavirus?
Coronavirus attacks the respiratory system, causing pneumonia-like lung lesions and is spread in a similar way to colds and flu, meaning it is extremely contagious.
Symptoms
Early symptoms usually include:
A runny nose
A cough and/or sore throat
A high temperature
Feeling tired
Difficulty breathing
Ireland's game against Italy in Dublin has been postponed, but the remaining Six Nations fixtures will go ahead, which includes England's trip to Rome on 14 March.
However, there are growing fears the coronavirus outbreak could have a major effect on other major sporting events, with Euro 2020 and the Olympic Games in Tokyo among them.
Japan's Olympic minister, Seiko Hashimoto, revealed the Games could be pushed back.
“The contract calls for the Games to be held within 2020. That could be interpreted as allowing a postponement,” Hashimoto said in parliament.
“We are doing all we can to ensure that the Games go ahead as planned.”
The Cheltenham Festival is scheduled to go ahead, while Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp played down fears it could disrupt his side's Premier League title bid.
Globally, more than 88,000 cases of the disease have been confirmed, with more than 3,000 deaths, while the number of people in the UK who have tested positive for the virus stands at 39.