Advice on coronavirus from Colombian church

Colombia's Catholic Primate Cardinal Ruben Salazar held services on Thursday on a monastery church on the top of the Monserrate mountain in Bogota to pray for those afflicted by the coronavirus.

Salazar also urged Colombian citizens to heed government advice amid attempts to contain the outbreak.

"This terrible damage that this virus is causing should be contained and restricted as much as we can, let's take an obedience attitude, and follow the advice given by the national and local government, by the church," Salazar told the worshippers who had gathered for the Mass.

The ceremony was adapted to avoid contact among the few worshippers attending the ceremony, hugs and shaking hands were replaced by other gestures, the bread given as part of the tradition was delivered in the people's hands instead of their mouths.

As of Thursday Colombia has reported 108 confirmed cases of coronavirus.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus.

According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.