Coronavirus: Catholic Bishops Directs Members To Receive Communion In their Hands
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
The Catholic Bishops of Ghana have directed their flock to receive Holy Communion in the hand during Mass while the Ministers and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion should wash their hands or use sanitizer before and after distributing Holy Communion.
The Bishops noted that prevention was key to avoid its spread and entreated the faithful to wash their hands often with soap and water or use sanitizers, wash fruits and vegetables well before eating and cooking and avoid physical contact with people with suspicious signs and places of outbreak.
In a statement issued and signed by the Most Rev. Philip Naameh, President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, said Due to the coronavirus outbreak, directives are part of precautionary measures being put in place by the Prelates to curb the possible spread of the virus and avoid handshakes and embracing one another during ‘Kiss of Peace”
The Bishops called for intensive prayers to end the spread of the disease and advised Catholics and the public to help prevent it.
The coronavirus COVID-19 is reported to have affected 69 countries and territories around the world. According to worldometers.info’s updates on Coronavirus, the number of confirmed cases worldwide had reached nearly 89,235 with 3,051 deaths and 45,197 recovered cases.
Meanwhile, 48,248 of the cases are inactive or closed now. Out of the total closed cases, 45, 197 (94%) recovered fully and got discharged from the hospital while 3,051 (6%) died.
On Friday, 28 February 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the spread of the virus is “getting bigger”. Cases in China remain the highest with 80,000 cases with 2,912 deaths, followed by South Korea, 4,335 cases and 26 deaths; Italy 1,696 with 34 deaths and Iran 978 cases with 55deaths
Source:myjoyonline