Professor Gérard Saillant, President of the FIA Medical Commission, gave a detailed presentation on coronavirus, which has been given the official title of COVID-19 by the World Health Organization, at the FIA World Motor Sport Council’s first meeting of the year in Swiss city Geneva.

The FIA Crisis Cell is set to convene every second day to consider the latest developments around the world.

Its establishment comes less than a month after Formula One's Chinese Grand Prix, scheduled to take place in Shanghai in April, was postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

"The FIA continues to closely monitor the situation and its implications, together with its member clubs and promoters, and follows the advice of relevant authorities including Governments and the World Health Organization," a statement from the world governing body reads.

"The FIA will evaluate the calendar of its forthcoming competitions and take any action required to help protect the global motor sport community and the wider public, including the postponement of competitions where necessary."

Among the other main decisions taken at the meeting, hosted by FIA President Jean Todt and FIA Deputy President for Sport Graham Stoker, was to back Formula One officials' handling of the Ferrari engine controversy.

The FIA World Motor Sport Council "expressed unanimous support" for Todt and the FIA Technical Department in regard to the overall management of the case.

Motorsport's legislative body has been heavily criticised by seven of the 10 Formula One teams for making a confidential settlement with Ferrari.

It has admitted suspicions Ferrari's engine was not always legal last year but was unable to prove it.

The FIA World Motor Sport Council also said that it "strongly opposed any comments that undermine the reputation and image of the FIA and the Formula One World Championship".

This could be viewed as a response to the seven teams - Mercedes, Red Bull, McLaren, Renault, Racing Point, Alfa Romeo, AlphaTauri and Williams - writing to the FIA to demand answers to a range of questions on the matter and setting a deadline of the middle of this coming week for them.

The calendars for various championships were approved by the Council, which also acknowledged that the Rome E-Prix has been cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak in Italy.