The start of Major League Baseball's 2020 season has been pushed back until at least May because of the novel coronavirus, which has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. As such, seasonal ballpark employees stand to take a financial hit because of the delay and the likelihood of an abbreviated 2020 schedule. That's why each of MLB's 30 teams are committing $1 million to aid those employees and address the harm caused by those lost wages. 

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announced the initiative on Tuesday, citing a "desire to help some of the most valuable members of the baseball community." 

Here's the full statement from the league:

The coronavirus outbreak, which has led to "shelter in place" orders in a number of locations globally, declining securities markets, and decreased consumer activity, will have widespread economic effects. Those effects will be acutely felt in MLB, which has shut down Cactus and Grapefruit League spring training games and has little grasp of when the regular season might begin. If anything, a May start likely represents a best-case scenario. 

Coronaviruses are a large group of viruses that can cause illnesses as minor as a cold, or as serious as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), according to the World Health Organization. The virus can cause symptoms including fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But while some patients only show mild symptoms and recover, others have developed life-threatening complications, such as pneumonia, CBS News reports. 

CBS News has the latest updates about the virus, which has affected various sports globally and in the United States and has caused more than 7,100 fatalities worldwide. Here at CBS Sports we have running updates on how sports leagues are responding to coronavirus.