Pope cancels main public appearances to stop crowds gathering amid coronavirus

FILE PHOTO - Pope Francis leads the daily Santa Marta Mass at the Vatican, February 27, 2020. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis has cancelled his regular appearances in public to stop crowds gathering to see him and will stream them on the internet from inside the Vatican because of the coronavirus outbreak in Italy.

The Vatican said that on Sunday the pontiff will not address crowds from a window overlooking St. Peter's Square, and will also not hold his general audience from there this Wednesday. Both attract tens of thousands of people.