Greek shipowner Evangelos Marinakis said on social media on Tuesday he has contracted coronavirus, making him the most high-profile shipping victim of the disease.
The "well-known virus has paid me a visit and I felt obliged to let the public know", the 52-year said in an Instagram post.
The message was confirmed by a spokesman at the Capital group of companies that he controls.
"I feel good, as I take all necessary measures and I comply with doctors' instructions," Marinakis said. "I advise the same to all my fellow citizens," he added.
Marinakis, owner of football clubs FC Olympiacos Piraeus and Nottingham Forest, contracted the disease in the UK.
"Mr Marinakis was diagnosed after showing the first symptoms on his return to Greece yesterday afternoon," Nottingham Forest said in a statement released on 10 March.
Marinakis's symptoms are mild and members of his family have tested negative for the virus, Piraeus mayor Yiannis Moralis said in an interview on Greek television station Antenna.
No visits to office
TradeWinds is also told that Marinakis is not known to have visited his Capital group's offices over the past few days.
The shipowner is one of a total 89 coronavirus reported in Greece as of noon, 10 March. None of them has been lethal.
Authorities nevertheless ordered schools and universities on 10 March to shut down for two weeks. No large-scale quarantines have been imposed, except in the western part of the country where most cases were detected involved a group of religious tourists who probably contracted the disease in Egypt or Israel.
Covid-19 has already struck close to the shipping community.
One of the first victims was the wife of a senior shipping executive at Kyklades Maritime. The executive himself tested negative for the disease.
Classes at the Athens College, a prestigious private high school where many shipowners send their children, were suspended twice over the past few days, after two parents tested positive for the illness.
Fear of the virus spreading far more than the virus itself, several shipping offices have taken a string of precautionary measures to protect staff.
Olympiacos fan support
Marinakis' Instagram feed is typically focused on the Olympiacos football team.
Many football fans responded urging their president to be strong using the emoji 💪.
"Get well soon!" said Instagram user Kotijas.
"Wishing you a speedy recovery!!" said user athanasiaprive.
Eric Martin contributed to this story
