Colombia deacon leads funeral rites in PPE as coronavirus cases near 400,000

Mauricio Castiblanco, a Catholic deacon wearing protective gear, conducts a farewell ceremony for a deceased person outside the Chapinero cemetery, amidst an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Bogota, Colombia August 10, 2020. REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Standing outside the high cemetery walls as a sharp breeze blows down from the Andes, Mauricio Castiblanco pulls on a disposable cover-all, adjusts his mask under a face shield, and snaps on latex gloves.

He adds extras to his personal protective equipment (PPE), befitting his role as a Catholic deacon: a purple sash decorated with an embroidered red cross, a plastic bottle of holy water, and a book of funeral rites.