Oct 17, 2020 - World

11 members of Vatican's Swiss Guard test positive for COVID-19

Jacob Knutson

A member of the Swiss Guard wearing a face mask on Oct. 14. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP via Getty Images

11 members of the Vatican's Swiss Guard tested positive for COVID-19 and are in isolation, according to a statement released by the organization this week. The Vatican also announced that someone who lives in the same residence as Pope Francis tested positive for the virus, according to AP.

Why it matters: The positive cases draw concerns about the spread of the virus in the home of the pope, who is 83 years old.

The big picture: The pandemic has come storming back to Europe, and hope of a return to normality is being replaced by a much more ominous prospect: the return to lockdown.

Italy was one of the world's first major coronavirus hotspots, locking down the entire country in March, and on Wednesday reported 7,332 new positive COVID-19 tests — breaking its previous record for most infections added in a single day

Go deeper: Pope calls on world to act with "urgency" to curb climate change

Add Axios on Google

11 members of Vatican's Swiss Guard test positive for COVID-19

What to read next