Pope Francis ventures out of the Vatican as world’s biggest cities empty out

No audience for The Pope. Newlyweds photographed in masks. Pastors preaching to bare seats. This is life in the era of a coronavirus pandemic.

The world as we know it has changed.

Once bustling streets are dead. Newlyweds take photos in masks. Events are held without an audience.

This is life in the era of coronavirus.

Pope Francis ventured out of the Vatican and into the bare streets of Rome on Sunday.

He reached S. Marcello al Corso church, the home of a miraculous crucifix that in 1552 was carried in a procession around Rome to stop the great plague.

It came as the Vatican announced that its traditional Easter week celebrations would be held this year without worshippers because of the coronavirus.

Pope Francis walking in an empty Via del Corso in Rome. Picture: Vatican Media/AFP

Pope Francis enters the S. Marcello al Corso church. Picture: Vatican Media/AFP

Pope Francis prays in S. Marcello al Corso church, where there is a miraculous crucifix that in 1552 was carried in a procession around Rome to stop the great plague. Picture: Vatican Media/AFP

Pope Francis blessing over an empty St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. Picture: Vatican Media/AFP

Pope Francis delivers his blessing from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. Picture: AP

Italy recorded its biggest one day rise in coronavirus deaths overnight, amid growing concern about the ability of its strained health system to cope with the increase in new cases.

“The big challenge will be to see how far we can succeed in keeping Milan, the metropolitan area, away from a mass phenomenon with the disease,” said Massimo Galli, head of the infectious diseases unit at the city’s Sacco hospital.

A view of the Duomo gothic cathedral in Milan, Italy. Picture: LaPresse via AP

A woman wearing a face mask and gloves walks a dog as a teddy bear is seen on a sidewalk in Turin, Italy. Picture: Reuters

People wave and clap their hands, during a flash mob "Una canzone per l'Italia" (A song for Italy) at Magliana district in Rome. Picture: AFP

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced that France is shutting down all restaurants, cafes, cinemas and non-essential retail shops, to combat the accelerated spread of the virus in the country.

French voters went to the polls on Sunday to choose mayors and other local leaders but the second round of the vote was put into question amid concerns over low turnout and the rapid spread of the new coronavirus across the country.

Rachida Dati, Les Republicains party candidate for Paris 2020 mayoral election, delivers a speech at her campaign headquarters to bare seats. Picture: AFP

A voter casts their ballot in front of an official wearing plastic gloves in a polling station of Lyon during the first round of the mayoral elections. Picture: AFP

Newlyweds wearing face masks take photos in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Picture: AFP

A man sits outside the closed famed Les Deux Magots cafe in Paris. Picture: AP

In the US, the White House is putting in place new measures to protect President Donald Trump and his staff during the coronavirus outbreak, including taking the temperature of anyone who enters the complex, from visitors to members of the press corps.

“In order to keep the entire White House complex safe and healthy, beginning Monday morning, temperature checks will be conducted on everyone who enters campus,” spokesman Judd Deere said.

“As was announced over the weekend, additional temperature checks will be conducted on individuals who are in close contact with the president and vice president throughout the day.”

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President Donald Trump speaks during a briefing about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House. Picture: AP

Vice President Mike Pence points to a question as he speaks during a briefing about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House. Picture: AP

In the US, many places including schools and unis are also shut as spring break is about to kick off.

Towson University students remove their belongings out of the dorms as the school shut down days before the start of the scheduled spring break. Picture: Getty

Times Square still has less people, but a lot of tourists wearing face masks.

Japanese tourists wear face masks as they sit and chat in Times Square in New York. Picture: AP

Churches are also going online with their services.

Senior Pastor Troy Dobbs speaks to empty pews after Grace Church Eden Prairie decided to present worship music and the sermon to an estimated 3500 online viewers in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Picture: Getty Images/AFP

Spain's government announced on Saturday that it is placing tight restrictions on movements and closing restaurants and other establishments in the nation of 46 million people as part of a two-week state of emergency to fight the sharp rise in coronavirus infections.

Deaths in Spain more than doubled in 24 hours to 288 deaths up from 136 on Saturday.

Catalonian police officers patrol along La Ramblas in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, March 15, 2020. Picture: AP

A metropolitan police officer clears a couple of tourists who slept on the beach after closing the access to La Mar Bella beach in Barcelona, Spain. Picture: Getty Images

A tourist pushes his suitcase across an empty Catalunya square 20 in Barcelona, Spain. Picture: Getty Images

In Israel, eateries, shopping centres and gyms are all closed in a bid to halt the spread of novel coronavirus.

The new instructions also prohibit gatherings of over 10 people and advise people to stay at least two metres away from one another.

A picture from the central coastal city of Netanya shows a shop serving only takeaway. Picture: AFP

The central coastal city of Hadera shows closed shops and empty streets after Israel shut down most place. Picture: AFP

In London, scenes of travellers wearing masks at Heathrow continue to be the norm.

Airline passengers wearing face masks wait to check in their bags at Heathrow Terminal 5 departures as the outbreak of coronavirus intensifies in London, England. Picture: Getty

In Venzuela, the Bolivarian National Guard have been seen wearing protective face masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

They have also been taking part in military exercises to partially block road access.

Members of the Bolivarian National Guard wearing protective face masks in Caracas. Picture: AFP

In Athens, cafes and restaurants are closed, as people shop with face masks at local markets. Greece has announced closures to all shopping malls, cafes, bars and restaurants, except those that provide a takeaway or delivery service. All museums, ancient sites, libraries and beauty salons will also shut down.

Workers collect seats outside a closed cafe-restaurant in Athens, Greece. Picture: Getty

A woman wearing a face mask while shopping on green market in Athens, Greece. Picture: Getty

Lebanon is similar with stores shut in Byblos.

A shopkeeper waits for customers, in one of the streets of Lebanon's coastal historical city of Byblos, usually bustling with visitors, after shops and restaurants. Picture: AFP

The same can be seen in Beirut.

Lebanese soldiers standing guard in the downtown district of the capital Beirut wear protective masks against the coronavirus. Picture: AFP

In Japan, the few people using the train to commute in Tokyo are all taking precautions.

A couple wearing face masks, amid concerns of the COVID-19 coronavirus, chat at a train station in Tokyo.

In Iran’s capital of Tehran, mosques are also shut as they try to stop the spread.

The entrance of a mosque that remains shut in the Iranian capital Tehran, after measures were taken to slow down the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19. Picture: AFP

Many people in Tehran though shrugged off warnings over the new coronavirus as authorities complained that most people in the capital are not treating the crisis seriously enough.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms.

For some it can cause more severe illness.

People wearing face masks exercise on the shore of an artificial lake, in Western Tehran, Iran. Picture: AP

In Singapore, people are continuing to wear masks as parts of the city remain closed. Chinatown is a usually popular tourist spot but it is quiet and its streets are empty due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak

People wearing masks walk on the street in Chinatown in Singapore. Picture: Getty

The same can be said in Vietnam where foreign citizens as well as Vietnamese citizens must wear face masks in public places where there are many people, such as supermarkets, airports, bus terminal or public transport means.

The authorities of Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City also asked all forms of entertainment establishments including bars, karaoke bars and several tourist sites to close until the end of March.

Vietnam has so far confirmed 53 cases of coronavirus infections, with 16 having fully recovered.

People wear face masks amid concerns of the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) while walking in Hanoi, Vietnam. Picture: Getty

People wear face masks amid concerns of the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus while shopping at a local market on in Hanoi, Vietnam.

In Cuba, many are outdoors playing sports with masks on.

Cuban men play basketball on the street while wearing protective face masks to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, COVID-19, in Havana. Picture: AFP

Cuban men play basketball on the street while wearing protective face masks. Picture: AFP

Originally published as Pope Francis ventures out of the Vatican as world’s biggest cities empty out