DAVAO CITY —Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle has tested positive for COVID-19 upon his arrival in Manila on Thursday, September 10.
The Vatican said, Cardinal Tagle, prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Evangelizaton of Peoples, is asymptomatic and currently under quarantine.
The Vatican news states that necessary checks are being carried out on those who have come into contact with the cardinal in the past few days.
The 63-year-old cardinal was in Italy’s city of Turin this week to take part in the episcopal ordination of the new Apostolic Nuncio for Mongolia, Fr. Giorgio Marengo.
The Vatican said that Cardinal Tagle had already undergone a Covid-19 swab test in Rome on Sept. 7, which turned out to be negative.
On September 8, he also led an online recollection for Filipino Covid-19 frontliners organized by Caritas Philippines and Cebu-based Dilaab Foundation.
Cardinal Tagle has become the first Roman curia dicastery head to have contracted the virus.
His last meeting with Pope Francis in a private audience was August 29. Although he has a residence at the Congregation.
The Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines is also calling on the faithfuls to pray for the speedy recovery of the Cardinal.-Newsline.ph