Vactican City has recorded its first case of after a patient presently under the care of its health service was diagnosed with Covid-19.
Spokesman, Matteo Bruni revealed that the case was diagnosed on Thursday and prompted the temporary closure of the walled city-state’s health clinic for deep cleaning.
The Vatican Apostolic Library also announced its doors would remain closed through next week.
A full house was expected after the archives of Pope Pius XII, the World War II-era pontiff, were opened.
Pope Francis thanked those responding to the healthcare emergency, tweeting: ‘I wish to express again my closeness to those who are ill with the coronavirus and to healthcare workers who are caring for them, as well as to civil authorities and all those involved in assisting patients and in containing the spread of the virus.’
The 83-year-old pontiff, who lost part of one lung from a respiratory illness when he was a young man, came down with a cold over a week ago.
As a result, it seems likely the pope’s general audiences will be cancelled. The death toll from the outbreak in Italy – Europe’s worst affected country – jumped by 49 to 197 on Friday
