Washington D.C., Feb 18, 2020 / 14:41 pm
American bishops and leaders of Catholic aid agencies have praised Vatican and U.S. responses to the coronavirus outbreak, and encouraged the faithful to stay informed about the disease.
"As communities and public health officials respond to the outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in China and closely monitor its presence and progression in other parts of the world, we join in solidarity and prayer for those impacted or working to treat those infected by the disease," said a statement from Bishop David Malloy of Rockford (IL), Sean Callahan, president of Catholic Relief Services, and Sr. Mary Haddad, RSM, president of the Catholic Health Association of the United States.
Malloy is the chairman of the USCCB's Committee on International Justice and Peace.
The three organizations "hope that governments will work together in partnership to improve all nations' capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to this virus."