An Indonesian airport health worker sprays disinfectant amid concerns of the COVID-19 coronavirus at the Sultan Iskandar Muda International airport in Blang Bintang, Aceh province on March 16, 2020. (CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN / AFP)

JAKARTA - The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) has decided to delay the AFF U-18 Womens', AFF U-16 Boys' and AFF U-19 Boys' Championships slated for the middle of this year in Indonesia due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The AFF said that whenever necessary, it will cancel the competitions which were initially scheduled to be staged in June, July and August respectively.

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The novel coronavirus has killed 78 people and infected 893 others across Indonesia, the government's spokesman for COVID-19 related matters Achmad Yurianto said on Thursday.

The novel coronavirus has killed 78 people and infected 893 others across Indonesia

The decision was made as the football events will lead to mass gatherings which are vulnerable to the spreading of the novel coronavirus, the AFF said in a statement a day earlier.

"Since the risks of transmission of the disease at such mass gatherings as football events are high, we have decided to delay and whenever necessary to cancel our competitions," it said in the statement.

The AFF said that the postponement aims at minimizing social contacts to protect safety and health of football communities.

"As the situation is constantly evolving, we will keep a close watch and will not hesitate to make changes to our schedule if necessary," AFF President Major General Khiev Sameth said.

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For the AFF U-15 Girls' Championship scheduled to be staged in September, it will take place as originally scheduled, he said.

The AFF is constantly following the development on the virus with guidance from the World Health Organization, Sameth said.