ST. LOUIS (KMOX) — In the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, thousands of basketball fans from across the midwest are arriving in St. Louis for the Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Tournament, which runs today through Sunday at Enterprise Center.
City Health Director, Dr. Fredrick Echols says he's not concerned about a potential outbreak linked to Arch Madness, because those responsible for staging the event have plans in place to address the issue. He says those plans include encouraging fans who are sick to stay home and providing hand sanitizer throughout Enterprise Center.
He says just to be safe, fans attending the games may want to consider alternate ways to celebrate, rather than the traditional high-five. "There's been a move to go away from kissing or handshaking to 'pounding it out' or even doing the elbow. Those tend to be a little safer options for individuals. But, if they opt to shake hands, as long as the hand is clean, go for it."
The Missouri Valley Conference says coronavirus isn't cutting into ticket sales, in fact they're up 25 percent over last year. The conference released a statement to KMOX reading in part, "We are keenly aware of coronavirus and will continue to monitor in coordination with state/local health authorities and the CDC."