No one’s safe from COVID-19, not even in the holiest of sites, with at least eight cases found at the monastery of Agios Pavlos (St. Paul) on Mount Athos in northern Greece, reports said.

The monastery, situated on the western coast of Mount Athos, has been placed in quarantine, it was also added, and one of those who was infected was reportedly hospitalized in serious condition.

Some reports said a ninth Covid-19 case has been registered at the Helandariou Monastery on the northeastern side of Mount Athos and another at the monastic village of Lakkoskete, said Kathimerini.

The National Public Health Organization (EODY) has sent a team to the area, reports also said.

Despite the quarantine, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin was still scheduled to visit the monastic community of Mount Athos on Sept. 24 and stay overnight at the the Panteleimon monastery, where most of the monks are Russian.

Mount Athos is a male-only religious community that consists of 17 Greek monasteries, one Russian, one Bulgarian and one Serbian. It wasn’t explained why he would be allowed to go there as the virus is spreading among monks.

National Herald