Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (‘Propaganda Fide’), has tested positive for coronavirus.
This was confirmed to ZENIT English by Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, this afternoon, September 11, 2020.
This marks the first leader of a Vatican dicastery to be positive with COVID-19. When the outbreak broke out in Italy around March, the Vicar General of Rome, Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, had tested positive. He was hospitalized, but has since recovered and resumed his normal activities.
«Yes, I confirm that Cardinal Tagle currently tested positive for Covid-19 through a throat swab carried out yesterday upon his arrival in Manila,» Bruni confirmed to ZENIT’s Senior Vatican Correspondent, Deborah Lubov, noting: «His Eminence has no symptoms and will remain in solitary confinement in the Philippines, where he is.»
«On Sept. 7,» he explained, «Cardinal Tagle had already undergone a swab in Rome, with negative results.»
«In the meantime,» the Vatican spokesman also reassured, «the necessary checks are being carried out among those who have come into contact with His Eminence in recent days.»
The last time Cardinal Tagle had met with Pope Francis was August 29th.
