Washington, Apr 6 (IANS): Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert in the United States, has said that the only way to see sports return this summer is by holding events without fans in attendance and keeping players in hotels.

"Nobody comes to the stadium. Put the players in big hotels, wherever you want to play, keep them very well surveilled," Xinhua news agency quoted Fauci as saying Wednesday on the possibility of holding sports events this summer. "Have them tested every week and make sure they don't wind up infecting each other."

"People say you can't play without spectators, but I think you'd get enough buy-in from people who are dying to see a baseball game, particularly me," Fauci added.

"I'm living in Washington and we have the MLB world champion Washington Nationals. I want to see them play again."

Fauci's comments came a week after 72 per cent of Americans polled by Seton Hall University said they would not attend if sporting events resumed without a vaccine for COVID-19.

The US is still battling against the disease as confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country soared over 600,000 with fatalities approaching 30,000 as of Wednesday.

The major pro leagues have earlier been suspended due to the outbreak of the virus.