Advertisement
The worrying trend of the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, with some nine African countries affected is a matter of concern for those at the helm of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) who have, in a collective statement, expressed concern and formulated a prayer in the face of “this strange epidemic.”
Pope Francis’ daily morning Mass, offered in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican guesthouse where he lives, is being livestreamed this week so people from around the world may join in prayer for those sick with coronavirus.
The Diocese of Rome has canceled all public Masses until April 3 in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The announcement by the vicar general of the diocese, published Sunday evening, follows a decree by the Italian government suspending all public religious ceremonies.
As the world steps up efforts in tackling the spread of COVID-19 virus, the disease caused by coronavirus, with the most recent cases in Africa confirmed in South Africa and Cameroon, Catholic Church leaders at the helm of the Bishops’ conferences in Africa have expressed concerns that the virus could rapidly spread on the continent if appropriate measures are not taken to prevent its initial spread.
Vatican City has confirmed its first case of coronavirus, a Vatican spokesman said Friday.
Informed by reports of the rapid spread of coronavirus around the world including Africa, the Catholic Bishops in Ghana have, in a collective statement, called on Catholics in the West African country to take preventive measures that would save them from contracting COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
Rome’s pontifical universities will temporarily shut down tomorrow, after Italy’s death toll from Covid-19 surpassed 100 people March 4.
Pope Francis was reportedly tested for the novel coronavirus, Covid-19, with negative results, an Italian newspaper said Tuesday.
The three-day conference, named for St. Francis and scheduled to meet in Assisi, was planned to take place March 26-28 with 2,000 economists and entrepreneurs traveling from 115 countries.
Against the backdrop of the confirmed case of coronavirus in the West African nation of Nigeria after a Lagos-based Italian tested positive for COVID-19 virus days after his return to the country’s most populous city from Milan, the Catholic Church has announced some preventive measures including temporary suspension of the Sign of Peace through handshakes and hugs during Mass and the receiving Holy Communion on the tongue.
With the rising concerns of an imminent spread of COVID-19 against the backdrop of the first case in Africa reported in Nigeria, Bishops in the East African countries of Kenya and Uganda have, in independent messages and contexts, expressed their concerns about the virus and called on relevant government agencies to take special health measures.
Pope Francis postponed his official audiences for Friday, but maintained his private meeting schedule at his residence in Vatican City. The decision comes after the pope was reported to have a “slight” illness by Vatican a spokesman.
Pope Francis prayed Sunday for people infected by the coronavirus, which has killed 56 people in China.