At least 60 priests have died in Italy after contracting coronavirus, which now has more than double the number of deaths as China. The majority of the priest are above the age of 70. During a Mass in early March, Pope Francis, 83, called on Italian priests to 'have courage to go out to the sick' amid the rapidly growing pandemic.

According to Catholic Herald  the youngest priest to die from COVID-19 in Italy was Fr. Paolo Camminati, who died in the hospital on March 21 at age 53. The names of 51 diocesan priests who passed away after contracting coronavirus were published by the Avvenire newspaper on Sunday. The publication also noted that a further nine deaths had been reported in religious communities across Italy.

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