An Italian newspaper, Messaggero on Tuesday reported that Pope Francis, who is suffering from a cold, has tested negative for the coronavirus.
But the Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni is yet to comment on the report in the Messaggero newspaper.
The coronavirus outbreak has hit Italy significantly making it one of the worst affected countries aside China. Italy has over 2,000 people infections and 52 deaths.
There were concerns when the Pope canceled many of his activities due to illness since last month.
Many were wondering what really is wrong with Pope Francis who the Vatican confirmed was sick and had restricted his activities to his residence at the Vatican’s Santa Marta hotel.
From there the Pope had been receiving people in private but his illness was reported days after he met with people with Coronavirus last week.
At Ash Wednesday service in Rome last week, the pope was seen suffering from a cold and was seen blowing his nose, coughing and spoke with a hoarse voice.
The Vatican hasn’t revealed the nature of Francis’ illness only by saying that has a “slight indisposition.”
There were concerns though about the possibility that the Pope may be a patient of the virus hundreds of people, most in northern Italy have been infected with the disease.
The Messaggero newspaper report however did not say when Francis had been tested for the disease.
The pontiff, who had shown solidarity with coronavirus sufferers during his service said: “I wish, again, to express my closeness to those who are ill with coronavirus and to health-care workers who are caring for them.”
12 regions in Italy have had confirmed cases of the virus but the Lazio region where Rome is has no more confirmed cases after three people there recovered.
The virus is a global public health emergency, according to the World Health Organisation and there are concerns it could soon turn out into a global pandemic.
Victims of coronavirus often suffer from respiratory illness and this new strain of coronavirus was not previously identified in humans.
Source: Africafeeds.com
