【慈幼通訊社 ─ 2020 年 03月 26 日西班牙馬德里訊】 ─ 以馬德里為基地的慈幼會「聖大雅各伯」會省，受2019冠狀病毒大流行疫情嚴重影響。數個無法預料的情況發生，引致廣泛感染，數名慈幼會士染病死亡。多個團體中一些受感染的其他修會的會士，令慈幼會士也受感染。
在Oviedo團體，除了最年老的會士外，所有會士皆受感染，結果令致兩名慈幼會修士去世（68歲的Avelino Uña 及94歲Tirso Álvarez）。一名現年76歲，正在留醫的慈幼會司鐸Joaquín Egozcue，服用了鎮靜劑並插了喉管。
在來昂團體，聚會令疫情擴散，造成災難性後果。在「鮑思高中心」團體，慈幼會修士Manuel Machado（79歲）及Pedro García（81歲）不治，其他呈感染徵狀的會士，正在康復中。在Santiago el Mayor事業中，病毒亦進入了年長慈幼會士的會院。慈幼會修士Cayetano Álvarez（89歲）及Maximiliano Asenjo（87歲）不治。三名在休養院，沒有確診的慈幼會士，稍後亦染病回歸父家，他們是Félix Cantón神父（86歲）、Ángel Neila神父（86歲）及Ivo Díez修士（94歲）。慈幼會修士Graciano Vidal目前情況嚴重。
另一個受嚴重影響的團體為在薩拉曼卡的「聖若瑟」會院，幾乎所有慈幼會士受感染。目前部份會士身體十分虛弱。
在馬德里城的一個慈幼會士團體中，81歲的Pablo Ortega神父染病不治，另一位修士患上肺炎留醫，其餘會士過著隔離的生活。
居住在阿雷瓦洛的年長慈幼會士之中，Florencio Martinez神父（90歲）出現病徵並突然去世。數天後， Fidel Montes修士（94歲）在毫無明顯徵狀下去世。
很明顯，情況自疫情開始後，便急速惡化，病毒自出現僅數天便迅速擴散。SSM會省在第一時間，已盡力密切監察，保護最虛弱的慈幼會士，隔離在團體中出現病徵的會士，維持相應的防護措施。一些團體已進行消毒工作。
從會省開始，所有團體已接受適當的指導及訓練，切實執行所有防護措施。此外，會省也注重透過現今不同形式的科技，使受隔離的會士，感受到其他會士兄弟的陪伴與關懷。無論如何，人們也要緊記：「我們都是在天主父的手中」。
“St James Major” province heavily affected by Covid-19 pandemic
(ANS – Spain – Madrid , 26 March 2020) – The Salesian province of “St James Major”, based in Madrid, has been seriously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Several circumstances, unforeseen at the time they occurred, have caused widespread infections and the death of several Salesians. Several communities were then joined by infected religious who, in turn, infected other Salesians.
In the Oviedo community, all religious, except the oldest, have been infected. The consequence was the death of two Salesian coadjutors brothers Avelino Uña (68 years old) and Tirso Álvarez (94 years old). A Salesian priest, Joaquín Egozcue (76 years old), is in hospital, sedated and intubated.
In the communities of León, where the meeting from which the contagion spread, the effects were more catastrophic. In the “Centro Don Bosco” community, the Salesian brothers Manuel Machado (79 years old) and Pedro García (81 years old) died, while other religious with COVID-19 symptoms are healing. In the work “Santiago el Mayor”, the virus also reached the residence that houses the elderly Salesians. Several Salesian brothers Cayetano Álvarez (89 years) and Maximiliano Asenjo (87 years) have died. Three other Salesians in the retirement home, not diagnosed with the virus, joined them on their way to the Father: the priests Félix Cantón (86), Ángel Neila (86) and the Salesian coadjutor Ivo Díez (94). The Salesian coadjutor Graciano Vidal is in critical conditions.
Another of the communities affected by that meeting is the “San José” house in Salamanca. Almost all the Salesians are or were infected. At the moment, some of them are in a delicate situation.
In a Salesian community in the city of Madrid, the Salesian priest Pablo Ortega (81 years old) died of Coronavirus. Another brother was hospitalized for pneumonia and the rest live in solitary confinement.
In the residence for elderly Salesians in Arevalo, the Salesian priest Florencio Martinez (90 years), with some symptoms of the virus, died suddenly. Days later, with no apparent signs of contagion, the Salesian coadjutor Fidel Montes (94 years) also died.
It is clear to everyone that the evolution of the situation has been very rapid since the beginning, in its first manifestations, and has precipitated dramatically in just a few days. From the first moment, the SSM Province has tried to pay close attention, to protect the most vulnerable Salesians, to confine all those who showed symptoms, to live quarantine in the communities, maintaining the corresponding security measures. Some communities have already been sanitized.
From the Province, all the communities have been duly instructed and trained with all the procedures to be followed scrupulously. Furthermore, the need for religious in isolation to feel the companionship and affection of the rest of the brothers is also underlined, through the different options that technology offers today. And in any case, one remembers that “we are all in the hands of God the Father.”