Churches have been urged to pray about the Coronavirus outbreak and to take sensible precautions as the World Health Organisation declares a public health emergency.

Archbishop Glenn Davies has written to clergy, asking churches to pray for victims, health care workers and authorities.

"We acknowledge community concern about the incidences of infection in Australia and we express our sadness at the extent of the sickness, and especially the death, of many people affected by the disease in China," the Archbishop wrote. "We encourage prayer for those affected families and for governments and health care workers seeking to address and constrain the outbreak, both in China as well as in Australia."
 
"Many of our churches have Chinese members, who are experiencing a heightened sense of anxiety for their relatives in China, as well as the growing number of cases occurring in Australia." Dr Davies said.
 
"While we should not be alarmed, as the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in NSW is low, we should also be aware of the dangers that the virus presents and take any necessary precautions for the safety of our congregations. I encourage you to pray for those who have been infected, for our Commonwealth and State governments as they address this crisis, and for the health and safety of our own communities."
 
NSW Health has a website with all relevant information here. For further advice, you can also call the Health Direct helpline: 1800 022 222.

Photo: World Economic Forum/ Greg Beadle flickr