LONDON — All sports in Italy were expected to be halted from Tuesday because of the virus outbreak, including games in the country’s top soccer division and preparatory events for the Olympics.

The Italian Olympic Committee, which oversees all sporting events in the country, said in a statement on Monday that the suspension will last until April 3 and that it would request a government decree to impose its decision.

Vincenzo Spadafora, Italy’s sports minister, said he was already working on a new decree, “which I hope can be signed tomorrow.”

Events around the world have been affected by the spreading virus, including Champions League soccer matches and Japan’s professional baseball season. Late Sunday, one of the biggest tennis tournaments in the world was postponed.

In Italy, about 16 million people have been put under a widespread lockdown in the northern part of the country.

Italy’s top soccer division had resumed on Sunday with five games played in empty stadiums. Twelve rounds remain, with eight-time defending champion Juventus holding a one-point lead over Lazio.

Serie A has not been canceled since World War II.

The announcement from the Italian Olympic Committee, which is known as CONI, came minutes before Sassuolo was to host Brescia in a soccer match.

The match — almost certainly the last Serie A game for several weeks — went ahead as scheduled inside an empty stadium and Sassuolo striker Francesco Caputo sent a comforting message after scoring the first of his two goals in a 3-0 win.

Caputo displayed a sign that read “It will all be OK. (hash)Stayathome” in Italian.