Pope Francis donates 30 fans to needy hospitals

Pope Francis has entrusted 30 fans to the Office of Papal Charities to distribute to 30 hospitals in need during the coronavirus pandemic, the Vatican announced Thursday.

Since coronavirus is a respiratory disease, fans have become a major necessity in hospitals around the world, including the overwhelmed Italian hospital system.

Which hospitals will receive fans from the Vatican has not yet been determined.

Italy was one of the countries most affected by the coronavirus epidemic outside of China, with a death toll that now exceeds 8000, and with a total number of daily deaths of over 600 or 700 in the last few days.

The northern region of Lombardy has been hit hardest, in part because of its larger elderly population.

While masses have been canceled in Italy, as in many other places around the world, for several weeks now, papal charity has continued. In addition to the fans, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, papal almoner, continued the pope's charity to feed the homeless at least twice a week.

This week, Krajewski also coordinated the delivery of 200 liters of fresh yogurt and milk to a religious community that distributes food to the poor and homeless.