Pope Francis has been tested for coronavirus after cancelling a number of engagements due to ill-health. 

There had been concerns for the Pope after he was seen coughing during the Ash Wednesday Mass and again during his traditional Sunday blessing. 

He then cancelled public audiences for several days while he recuperated, before announcing that he had withdrawn from a weeklong spiritual retreat in the countryside with senior Vatican officials to mark Lent. The Pope said that he will instead be following the spiritual exercises from the Vatican. 

The 83-year-old fell ill as Italy battles to contain an outbreak of coronavirus in the north of the country. 

Italian newspaper Il Messaggero says that the Pope was tested for the virus after he came down cold symptoms, but the results came back negative. 

As of Tuesday morning, there were 2,041 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Italy and 52 deaths.

Most of the cases are concentrated in Lombardy in the north of the country, where 10 towns are in lockdown to help contain the spread. 

There were no cases in Rome at the time the Pope became ill but there were concerns for his health after he shook hands with members of the public in St Peter's Square. 

Vatican City has yet to report its first case of coronavirus but is taking additional precautions like handing out face masks and gloves for officials coming into contact with the public, the Daily Mail reports.