Apparently the Pope is "indisposed".....

[brooklynite]

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/variety/2020/02/28/Pope-cancels-audiences-due-to-apparent-cold-.html

Pope Francis canceled his official audiences Friday after apparently coming down with a cold.

The Vatican said the 83-year-old pontiff celebrated morning Mass as usual and greeted participants at the end. He planned to keep his private meeting schedule as planned, but decided to cancel the official audiences, the Vatican said.

The Vatican hasn’t said what exactly Francis has come down with, but he was coughing and blowing his nose during Ash Wednesday Mass this week.

On Thursday, he canceled a planned trip across town to celebrate Mass with Rome priests.

Uh, huh...

[jimfields33]

1. I mean at 83 in winter it could be a cold

And yes it could be Coronovirus. But I am confident it’s a cold. I do wonder in day to day American living if everyone who sneezes there will be panic from others around the person.

[hlthe2b]

3. Absolutely, but given how much Italy is impacted right now, it should be of major concern.

[jimfields33]

4. I would imagine the popes being closely monitored

It wouldn’t surprise me that even during lent, we will not see the pope much.

[hlthe2b]

2. I wish him well. If he contracts COVID-19 at his age it may well be very serious.

I honestly don't know how he carries on his "normal" functions as Pope, nor how they can possibly hold mass in the near future. Even open-air settings-- if overly crowded-- will be an issue.

[Mike 03]

5. I hope he didn't recently meet with Iran's ambassador to the Vatican

Coronavirus kills Iran's ex-ambassador to Vatican
https://www.dailysabah.com/world/mid-east/coronavirus-kills-irans-ex-ambassador-to-vatican

Iran's former ambassador to the Vatican and prominent cleric Hadi Khosrowshahi has died of the coronavirus, local media reported Thursday.

According to the semiofficial Tasnim News Agency, the 81-year-old cleric died at a hospital in Iran.

Earlier in the day, Iran had put the death toll in the country from the coronavirus to 26, with 254 confirmed cases.

Iran has seen a spike in COVID-19 cases over the past week.

Iran is one of over 35 countries that account for the nearly 80,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 around the world. The outbreak's epicenter in Iran is the holy Shiite city of Qom, where the faithful in reverence reach out to kiss and touch a famous shrine. That shrine and others have remained open, despite Iran's civilian government calling for them to be closed.

The global death toll is nearly 2,800, and China, where the outbreak originated, is the worst hit, with more than 78,000 cases and over 2,700 fatalities.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak an international health emergency and said the global risk level remains high.

[blm]

7. Oh my.

[LenaW]

6. Coughing, wiping his nose, kissing babies, hugging people in the crowd

while praying for the victims of the virus.

WTF, Pope???