SW News: Four Spanish Jesuit religious, including two brothers, died of complications related to COVID-19 in the Sanctuary of Loyola in the Basque Country, Spain, last week. There was an outbreak of the pandemic in the sanctuary on September 28.

According to the rector of the sanctuary Fr Ignacio Ecahrte, the four religious were suffering from comorbidities when they fell prey to COVID-19. Two of them were 93 while the others were 91 and 75 years old. Altogether 22 people, including religious, laypeople and workers, were infected, forcing them to close the basilica and suspend liturgical services for two weeks.

The rector hopes that once the members of the community test negative, the sanctuary can be reopened. "This Wednesday at the center there was no one with a positive result, including those who are still in the infirmary, who are waiting for a new test this week to confirm that they are free of the virus," Fr Ignacio told a Spanish Catholic publication.

The sanctuary built at the birthplace of the founder of the Society of Jesus, St Ignatius of Loyola, houses a shrine and basilica built in Churrigueresque Baroque style. It stands on the shores of the Urola River in the municipality of Azpeitia in Basque Country. The saint was born in 1491 into a noble family and his father was the Lord of Loyola.