Catholic priests in the Diocese of Lancashire have been advised that they may need to stop providing Holy Communion and giving Mass as the World Health Organisation warns of an "imminent" swine flu epidemic.

Priests have also been advised to wear surgical masks and gloves when visiting the sick and to take care when using service books and sacred oils to stop the spread the virus, reports the Lancashire Evening Post.

Patrick O’Donoghue, the Bishop of Lancaster, has stipulated that an emergency plan made during the bird flu outbreak three years ago will be updated and sent to priests.

So far, five cases of swine flu have been confirmed in the UK, with more than 150 people across the world confirmed to have contracted the disease and eight people confirmed dead.

Rev Nick Donnelly, permanent deacon in the Diocese of Lancashire and author of the emergency plan, said, "It is not about frightening people, it is about giving advice to prevent the spread of infection.

"It is important to realise that any close contact, whether that is during mass or not, can create the risk of spreading infection."

• Full story at Christian Today.

• Filed under England + Wales, Roman Catholic Church, Scottish Christian News Monitor, Social Policy, Worship.