Pope Francis recovering and devoted to work, Vatican says after pneumonia diagnosis

Pope Francis is responding “positively” to medical treatment for pneumonia, according to the Vatican, a week after the 88-year-old pontiff was first hospitalized in Rome.

Francis, who received the Eucharist, “devoted himself to work activities” following a “slight” improvement in his condition, according to a statement from the Vatican on Thursday.

‘’The pope had oxygen to assist his breathing,” the spokesperson said, adding that his heart is holding up well and he has no fever.

Francis was admitted to Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in the Italian capital on February 14, and initially underwent tests for a respiratory tract infection. He was subsequently diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs after a later CT scan.

Francis, who is from Argentina, has a vulnerability to respiratory infections. As a young man, he suffered a severe bout of pneumonia that led to the removal of part of one lung.

In 2021, doctors also surgically removed part of his colon in relation to diverticulitis, which can cause inflammation or infection of the colon.

He was hospitalized with bronchitis in 2023, and in recent months has had two falls where he bruised his chin and hurt his arm which was put into a sling.

Friday marks a week since he was admitted to the Gemelli hospital and is the third-longest time he has spent in hospital since he was elected pope.

His doctors have advised “complete rest” for the pope, whose public events have been cancelled until at least Saturday.

On Wednesday, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited him for 20 minutes.

“We joked as always. He hasn’t lost his proverbial sense of humour,” the prime minister said in a statement.

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