The Chinese government has temporarily closed all of the country's places of worship in an effort to contain the COVID-19 respiratory coronavirus that has now killed almost 3,000 people, with more than 80,000 around the world verified with infections.

The meeting “renewed the will to pursue the institutional dialogue at a bilateral level to foster the life of the Catholic Church and the good of the Chinese people.”

Christian funerals outside of churches have been banned in some areas of China as the communist government begins to enforce new regulations on religious practices.

“I hope the supplies could reach where they are needed as soon as possible, so that people who are suffering the disease could feel the concern from the Holy See,” Father Han told the Global Times. “The whole world is standing together to fight the virus.”

Diocesan guidelines included cleaning directions -- including microphones used by lectors -- and instructed people to bow their heads instead of shaking hands during the sign of peace.

A Catholic layman in Hebei, identified only as Paul, said he was "worried that the authorities would use this to crack down on the church."