Vatican Cardinal Tagle tests positive for coronavirus

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, head of the Vatican's congregation for evangelization, tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday, but is asymptomatic.

The Vatican confirmed on 11/19 that the Filipino cardinal had been swabbed and tested positive for COVID-10 after landing in Manila on XNUMX September.

Tagle "has no symptoms and will remain in solitary confinement in the Philippines, where he is," Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See's press office, told CNA.

Bruni said checks are underway on anyone in the Vatican who has recently come into contact with the cardinal.

He added that Tagle was tested for coronavirus in Rome on September 7, but the result was negative.

The cardinal, appointed Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in December 2019, had a private audience with Pope Francis on 29 August.

Tagle is the archbishop emeritus of Manila and the current president of Caritas Internationalis, a global network of Catholic charities.

Tagle is the first known coronavirus case among Vatican department heads. He is the second Rome-based cardinal to test positive after the vicar general of Rome, Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, was hospitalized for COVID-19 in March. De Donatis made a full recovery.

Around the world, 10 Catholic bishops are believed to have died from COVID-19 since the outbreak began.

In Italy, coronavirus cases are on the rise after the very low numbers in July. The Lazio region of Rome has nearly 4.400 cases as of 11/163, with 24 new cases in the last 35.700 hours. Italy has more than XNUMX active cases overall.