Royals boss Mark Bowen has given an update into the fitness of his squad amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

Reading will not return to league action before the end of the month at the earliest as social isolation measures are ramped up in a bid to minimise the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Bowen, speaking on BBC Radio Berkshire, confirmed that his side will not resume training this week after a number of players were placed into social isolation having displayed cold symptoms.

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"Hopefully things get better sooner rather than later and football gets underway again - and with performances and results we can get our fans smiling again and forgetting the troubles of the world.

"We found that the game last Saturday against Stoke City was postponed and then, over the weekend we lost two or three players to self isolation. All were precautionary but they were both told to stay at home.

"And as the week went on, we made a decision to carry on training the best we could and we had good numbers, 20 odd players, and we had some really good training sessions on the Monday and the Tuesday.

"They had Wednesday off, and on Thursday a couple more players had a few cold symptoms – and we didn’t want to take any chances with any of the players so they stayed at home.

"The guys who have been in training last week have been really professional. The sessions have been a bit subdued at the start, probably because they’ve got the more important things on their mind.

"Last week it was very much a case of making the players aware of the severity of the situation and what is at stake. To a man they’ve all been very mature in their thinking.

"We had meetings on a daily basis and you try to give them assurances with the club doctors giving them advice, supplying them with as much information as we can."