After seen coughing and blowing his nose during Mass on Ash Wednesday and his weekly blessing on Sunday, Pope Francis underwent testing for the coronavirus, according to Newsweek. Tests came back negative, but the cold was enough to cause him to miss several events including a Lenten retreat.
“Unfortunately a cold prevents me from participating this year. I will be following the meditation from here,” he told crowds Sunday.
Matteo Bruni, a Vatican spokesperson, said last Thursday the pope had stayed in his room at Santa Marca, his home in the Vatican “due to a slight indisposition.”
The 83-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church often comes into close contact with the public at numerous speaking engagements and public blessings.
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He expressed his sympathies for the victims of the coronavirus in an address on Ash Wednesday in St. Peter's Square.
"I wish, again, to express my closeness to those who are ill with coronavirus and to health care workers who are caring for them." — Pope Francis
The Philippines, Asia's only predominantly Catholic nation, observed a "no-contact" Ash Wednesday amid virus fears, according to The Jakarta Post. Priests elected to sprinkle ashes instead of dabbing them on churchgoers' foreheads.
The coronavirus infections in Italy rose 50% in 24 hours Sunday to 1,694 cases.
»MORE: Virus accelerates in Italy; US urges citizens to avoid north
Delta Airlines suspended flights to Milan and is delaying releasing summer flights to Venice to see how the virus spreads.
"At the end of the week we will understand if and how much the containment measures put in place have slowed the epidemic. We expect positive results, I am optimistic. We ask all citizens for collaboration. Their help is important for breaking the chain of infections." — Silvio Brusaferro, head of Italy's National Health Institute
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