'We must help': Roger Federer's stunning virus gesture

Roger Federer and his wife Mirka have opened up their hearts and wallets to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic in their native Switzerland.

The 20-time grand slam champion has joined the ever-expanding list of sporting stars to dig deep into their bank balances to help provide crucial finances for the fight against the global pandemic.

‘STAY INSIDE’: Kyrgios' cheeky dig at female star's bikini pic

‘PROTECT YOUR FAMILIES’: NBA star's coronavirus heartbreak

Federer has generously decided to donate 1 million Swiss Francs ($A1.7 million) for vulnerable families in Switzerland.

"These are challenging times for everyone and nobody should be left behind," Federer wrote in a statement posted on Twitter.

"Mirka and I have personally decided to donate one million Swiss Francs for the most vulnerable families in Switzerland."

Federer's native Switzerland is home to one of the ten worst outbreaks on the planet, with more than 10,000 confirmed cases and over 100 reported deaths.

The Swiss government initiated a lockdown on March 16, closing all restaurants, bars, and schools, in addition to cancelling public gatherings and restricting international travel in the hopes of slowing the spread of the deadly virus.

"We must help families in need quickly and unbureaucratically," Federer added.

"Mirka and I have donated to a newly established emergency assistance fund for families in Switzerland."

"Our contribution is just a start. We hope that others might join in supporting more families in need. Together we can overcome this crisis."

Federer, a 20-times Grand Slam winner, is currently recovering from a knee surgery he underwent last month and was targeting a return in June in time for Wimbledon.

The tennis season is, however, suspended until June 7 due to the pandemic.

Federer urges fans to take safety measures seriously

COVID-19 has infected more than 436,000 people and killed more than 19,600 across the world since it was first identified in China in December.

Federer has been vocal in preaching safety precautions over coronavirus, posting a video earlier in the week to urge people to take the safety precautions extremely seriously.

He said it was important for communities to look out for one another in such a time of crisis, particularly those at the greatest risk such as the elderly.

“I’m also staying home, and I haven’t been shaking anybody’s hands for quite some time now,” Federer said.

“I wash my hands very frequently as we’re supposed to. I believe helping each other is more important now than ever, especially because we want to help the older generation.

“They’re the ones at highest risk, and we need to help them by keeping a distance of two metres and not shake hands.

“It’s really important to take these rules seriously. Very very seriously.

“Eventually, we could all be in quarantine and not be able to leave the house anymore, so I really hope all of us take it very seriously.”

Football stars also make huge coronavirus donations

Like Federer, stars from the football world, such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, have also made massive donations to health institutions battling the pandemic.

Ronaldo and super agent Jorge Mendes have donated €1 million ($A 1.8 million) to help three intensive care units (ICUs) in their native Portugal.

The pair’s donation will go towards buying crucial equipment for ICUs at Lisbon’s Santa Maria Hospital and the Santo Antonio hospital in Porto.

Mendes had already provided 1,000 masks and 200,000 protective gowns to the Sao Joao hospital in Porto last week as well as ordering eight further ventilators and to be distributed to hospitals across Portugal.

Messi and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola have each made similar $1.8 million donations.

Messi – a six-time Ballon d'Or winner – made a contribution that will be split between Hospital Clinic in Barcelona and another medical centre in his home country.

Former Barcelona player and manager Guardiola made his contribution to a campaign launched by the Angel Soler Daniel Foundation and Medical College of Barcelona.

with agencies