Manchester, Mar 29 (IANS): Premier League champions Manchester City's Etihad Stadium will be partially taken over by the United Kingdom's National Health Sevice (NHS) to help in fight the coronavirus pandemic.

According to a Sky Sports report, City will make avalable the stadium's executive boxers and conference rooms to train doctors and nurses during the crisis.

Earlier City had teamed up with cross-town rivals Manchester United to donate 100,000 pounds to help support food banks around Manchester during the pandemic. Both clubs said in a joint statement that it will donate 50,000 pounds each to the Trussell Trust a support network of more than 1,200 food banks.

"We are proud of the role our supporters play in helping local food banks and recognise the increased strain likely to be placed on these charities by the impact of coronavirus," a joint club statement said on Saturday."At a time of challenge for our community, we are pleased to come together with our fans to help vulnerable members of society in a City United."

The number of people who have died with coronavirus in the UK has now reached 1,019, with a further 260 deaths announced on Saturday. There are now 17,089 confirmed cases in the UK.