Stormzy postpones Asia tour dates over coronavirus fears

Stormzy has confirmed that he will postpone planned tour dates in Asia due to fears over the coronavirus.

The rapper, 26, had been due to perform in Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, China and South Korea in March as part of his Heavy Is The Head world tour but told fans on Twitter that the dates will be reschedule due to "ongoing health and travel concerns."

"I was seriously looking forward to bringing the #HITH World tour to Asia and playing some epic sold out shows but due to the ongoing health and travel concerns surrounding the Coronavirus, I'm regrettably having to reschedule this leg of the tour," he wrote.

"Information regarding the rescheduled dates will follow in due course.

"Please contact your local ticket vendor for any further queries. I promise I'll be back."

The concerts in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Shanghai had already sold out.

The star is set to kick off his tour in Berlin, Germany on February 20 before travelling through mainland Europe.

He will then visit New Zealand, Australia and the United States before a string of UK dates in September.

The tour will come to an end with four dates in Africa in October, concluding at the Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos, Nigeria.

The pneumonia-like strain of coronavirus, which has since been named Covid-19, was first detected in China at the end of 2019.

Nearly 60,000 people worldwide have been diagnosed with the virus, with 1,355 deaths reported so far.

London recorded its first confirmed case of the illness today as 83 people are set to be released from quarantine at Arrowe Park Hospital on the Wirral, 14 days after they arrived on an evacuation flight.

Symptoms include fever, coughs, chest tightness, runny nose, shortness of breath, headaches and chills.