The 88-year-old pontiff was spending his 11th day in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, equalling the longest hospital stay of his nearly 12-year papacy [GETTY]
Pope Francis is still critically ill as he battles double pneumonia and the onset of slight kidney failure, but he remains alert, the Vatican said on Monday.
The 88-year-old pontiff was spending his 11th day in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, equalling the longest hospital stay of his nearly 12-year papacy.
A Vatican official, who did not wish to be named because he was not authorised to speak about the pope’s condition, said Francis was eating normally and was able to get up and move about his hospital room.
On Sunday, the Vatican described the pope’s condition as critical for a second day and said blood tests had shown an “initial, slight insufficiency” in his kidney function, which it said was under control.
The pope received a blood transfusion on Saturday after experiencing a “prolonged asthma-like respiratory crisis”, and his prognosis remained “guarded”, according to the latest medical update on Sunday evening.
“It was a good night, the pope slept and is resting,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a one-sentence update on Monday morning that did not provide further information.
A further update on the pope’s condition was expected on Monday evening.
Double pneumonia is a serious infection that can inflame and scar both lungs, making it difficult to breathe. The Vatican has described the pope’s infection as “complex” and said it was caused by two or more microorganisms.
Francis, who has been pope since 2013, has suffered bouts of ill health over the past two years. He is particularly prone to lung infections because he developed pleurisy as a young adult and had part of one lung removed.
The medical update on Sunday evening described the pope as “alert and well-oriented” and said he was receiving “high-flow oxygen therapy” through a tube under his nose.
It said the pope had “an initial, slight renal insufficiency, which is currently under control,” referring to the functioning of the kidneys, which filter waste products in the blood.
(Reuters)
