At the only football site under way, over 1,000 fans present at the stadium

More than 1,000 football fans have cheered and embraced each other as they have watched a match of Belarus's football elite, despite calls from a large number of fans to boycott matches because of the coronary pandemic, Reuters reported.

Belarus is still the only country in Europe where the national league in football is continuing, making the league attractive even for foreign fans.

Belarus's president, Alexander Lukaschenko, has decided not to apply strict restrictive measures to prevent the spread of the virus, saying they will fight pandemic by drinking vodka and driving tractors.

Many fans have decided to boycott the matches, but more than 1,000 were present in the confrontation between FC Dynamo Brest and Isloch Minsk, one of the three matches in Visshaya League on Sunday. Only a small number of fans had masks.

Acting champion Dynamo Brest won 3:1 to be placed third in the ranking after four matches.

The club earlier launched an initiative by putting pictures of fans in the Tribuna.

Belarus currently has 2919 reported cases of COVID-19 and 29 deaths.

The World Health Organisation (OBSH) has called on Belarusian authorities to impose strict measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

Lukashenko has dismissed fears about the virus, saying it is important to continue with the economy.