The parish priest of Meadela, in Viana do Castelo, today confirmed to Lusa that he tested positive for the new coronavirus and asked the faithful who contacted him in the past few days to be aware of possible symptoms of covid-19.
“I asked the priest who came to replace me in the parish and who has been celebrating masses since last Friday to inform people of what is happening to me, to be aware of any symptoms,” said Monsignor Vasco Vilar.
The 76-year-old priest, who confirmed his infection with the new coronavirus on Tuesday, said that the public health of Viana do Castelo contacted the three people in the parish he indicated for maintaining closer relations and who are, like him, in confinement.
“The people closest to me have been informed by public health entities. They are all well. I am also well. I am even puzzled by not having any symptoms,” he said.
Since 2013 integrated in the Union of Parishes of Santa Maria Maior, Monserrate and Miadela.
According to the 2011 Census, Meadela had 9,782 inhabitants.
“I believe that everything will be fine, but people need to be attentive,” he warned, referring to the need for screening to prevent an outbreak of the disease.
Vasco Vilar said he had been contacted, last Friday, by the health chief of Vila Nova de Famalicão, in the district of Braga, after the infection with the new coronavirus was confirmed to the parish priest in Ribeirão.
“I was with my colleague at the end of July and last Friday I was contacted by the public health delegate of Vila Nova de Famalicão and as soon as they communicated, I went home and asked another priest to ensure the religious service of the parish “, explained the monsignor.
Vasco Vilar affirmed that, since the beginning of the pandemic, he was concerned “to comply” with the norms imposed by the health entities and that, after being cured, he will be “more demanding”.
“The church is always disinfected, people wear a mask, we have disinfectant gel at the entrance to the temple, and for communion I had some acrylics done so that there was no contact with the faithful”. specified.
Contacted by Lusa today, a source from the Diocesan Secretariat of Viana do Castelo said that this was the first case of infection among priests, guaranteeing that religious services in the district of Viana do Castelo “meet the standards imposed by health authorities”.
“The Diocese of Viana do Castelo has always collaborated with the health authorities in complying with the covid-19 prevention measures and will continue to do so,” said the same source.
The Diocese of Viana do Castelo, founded through a bull by Blessed Paul VI, published on November 3, 1977, covers the 10 counties of Alto Minho.
The youngest diocese in the country includes 291 parishes spread across the 10 counties in the district of Viana do Castelo and has about 120 priests.
The covid-19 pandemic has already claimed more than 743,000 deaths and infected more than 20.3 million people in 196 countries and territories, according to a report by the French agency AFP.
In Portugal, 1,764 people died of the 53,223 confirmed as infected, according to the most recent bulletin from the Directorate-General for Health.
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