Pope Francis also drew attention to Africa and recalled that 40 years ago, St. John Paul II spoke out about the plight of the people of the Sahel.

A conversation with Jennifer Overton, the regional director for West Africa for Catholic Relief Services

Catholic clergy in Africa are concerned that there could be a rise in violence and insurgency during the pandemic, leading to more political and civil disruption.

While the pandemic is being handled on the home front, many U.S.-based aid groups are working to assist the poor and migrant communities around the world in dealing with the crisis.

Zimbabwe had recorded 23 coronavirus cases and three deaths as of April 16, but many fear that the true numbers could be much higher because of the lack of Covid-19 testing capacity here.

Archbishop Utembi said with the reemergence of the hemorrhagic fever, the anti-Ebola measures had to continue. He said government medical teams had moved to the areas where the cases had been reported.