The Vatican Closes St. Peter's Basilica Due to Coronavirus

The Vatican has announced that the main square of the city will be closed off to tourists amid fears of the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak.

The Vatican's news agency reports,

As of Tuesday, the Vatican Post Office’s mobile unit in St. Peter’s Square will also be shut down, along with the two sales points of the Vatican Publishing House and the Photographic Service of the Osservatore Romano, which will remain available online.

The Vatican is also closing the doors to its mess halls but is replacing it with a meal delivery service available to certain offices located in the city.

Guests and residents can still access the supermarkets and pharmacies though entrance will be restricted in order to avoid crowding.