Coronavirus Postpones Pope's Global Economic Summit

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised the travel warning for Italy to a level three on Feb. 28, advising people to avoid non-essential travel to the country due to the spread of Covid-19.  On the same day, the U.S. State Department issued a “Level 4: Do Not Travel” advisory Feb. 28 for the Italian regions of surrounding Milan and Venice.

Italian health authorities have reported 1,835 cases of the novel coronavirus, mostly in the northern regions surrounding Milan, Bologna, and Venice. More than 200 new cases have been reported in the last 24 hours. So far, 52 people are reported to have died from the disease in Italy.

Nearly 800 of the people with novel coronavirus in Italy are being treated at home, while 140 are in intensive care.

The Vatican has implemented special health measures and postponed events in compliance with the provision of Italian authorities due to the outbreak.

A conference schedule to take place March 5-6 at the Pontifical Gregorian University on the opening of Vatican archives of Pope Pius XII has been postponed, as has a March 2-7 communications workshop at the Pontifical Urbaniana University for global representatives of the Pontifical Missions Societies.

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Pope Francis first announced the “Economy of Francesco” in May 2019, stating: “We need to correct models of growth incapable of guaranteeing respect for the environment, openness to life, concern for the family, social equality, the dignity of workers and the rights of future generations.”

When the 2,000 economists and entrepreneurs meet the pope in Assisi in November, they may have a new topic to analyze together: the effect of the coronavirus on the global economy.

Courtney Mares is a Rome Correspondent for Catholic News Agency. A graduate of Harvard University, she has reported from news bureaus on three continents and was awarded the Gardner Fellowship for her work with North Korean refugees.