Pope Francis was admitted to hospital for double pneumonia and chronic bronchitis treatment over a week ago
The Vatican has provided a health update after Pope Francis was hospitalized for double pneumonia and chronic bronchitis treatment on February 14.
Pope Francis, who is 88 years old, has been getting care at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for over a week because he was having trouble breathing.
On Saturday evening (February 22), the Vatican released a statement saying that his health is still “critical” as the Pope is experiencing a long-lasting asthma-related breathing issue, which requires high-flow oxygen (according to Sky News).
“The Holy Father’s condition remains critical,” the statement added. “The Pope is not out of danger.”
The Pope has been in hospital for over a week for pneumonia (Getty Stock Photo)
He also needed blood transfusions after tests showed he had thrombocytopenia, which means his platelet count was low and is linked to anemia, according to the report.
The Vatican’s announcement said that the Pope is “still being careful and spent the day in a chair, even though he felt worse than the day before” because “the outlook is uncertain.”
On Sunday morning, the Vatican spokesperson, Matteo Bruni, gave another update, saying, “The night was calm, and the Pope was able to rest.”
No additional details were shared, as reported by The Independent.
The BBC mentioned that the Pope has asked for transparency about his health, and the Vatican has been providing regular updates, which have included information about his daily routines, like having breakfast.
One of the statements from Friday said, “The night went well, and this morning Pope Francis got up and had breakfast.”
The Vatican said Pope Francis was rested (FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP via Getty Images)
Sources close to the Pope seem to be unsure about his recovery, but the Vatican stated on Wednesday (February 19) that he is improving. They mentioned (through the BBC) that “the blood tests, reviewed by the medical team, show a slight improvement, especially in inflammatory markers.”
Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni visited the Pope and noted that he was healthy enough to share some laughs during their meeting.
“I was really glad to see him alert and responsive. We joked like we always do. He still has his famous sense of humor,” she said.
This isn’t the first time Pope Francis has faced breathing problems; he was hospitalized for acute bronchitis back in March 2023.
However, two of his doctors pointed out that his age makes him more vulnerable. Senior doctor Dr. Sergio Alfieri mentioned (through Reuters) that there is a risk of the infection spreading to his bloodstream and possibly leading to sepsis, which could be very hard to treat.
