By BBC

The Pope has urged Catholic priests to visit people ill with the coronavirus.

Pope Francis made the call as he led a prayer at a Mass for visiting clergy at the Vatican, asking priests to have "the courage to go out and visit the sick" and to "accompany the medical staff and volunteers in the work they do".

This appears to contradict official advice from the Italian government, which says people should avoid contact with the sick and try not to travel. The Vatican has also announced Saint Peter's Square and its basilica have been closed to tourists until 3 April.