Football games in Morocco will be played in empty stadiums in efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, Moroccan football association (FRMF) said.

The move comes after the North African country reported its first confirmed case of the virus earlier this week.

The confirmed case was a 39-year-old Moroccan man who travelled back to the country from the northern Italian city of Bergamo.

The COVID-19 outbreak was first reported in the city of Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, in December 2019. Experts have attributed the outbreak to a novel coronavirus that has since spread across China and abroad.

The outbreak has prompted various moves by governments around the world, including cancellation of flights in many countries. In Italy, the authorities ordered a shutdown of all schools and universities and also banned all public gatherings.

Morocco canceled an international agricultural fair that was due to take place in April, along with many other cultural and sports events as authorities continue to implement precautionary measures at entry points and hospitals to prevent the spread of the virus.

The World Health Organization in its daily briefing said on Thursday that there were 95,265 reported cases of COVID-19 globally and 3281 deaths. The Organization has called for concerted efforts by all governments to contain the virus.