Pope Francis will remain in the hospital after being diagnosed with pneumonia and will not recite the weekly Angelus prayer - just the third time in his nearly 12-year papacy, reports UNN citing CNN.
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The pope “slept well” Saturday night at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, the Vatican press office said, after a doctor at the facility said it was unclear how long he would receive treatment.
Francis is not in danger of “immediate death,” surgeon Sergio Alfieri, who previously operated on the pope, told reporters Friday.
“Is Dad out of danger? No. Both doors are open. Is he at risk of dying immediately? No. The therapy needs time to work,” Alfieri said.
Francis is responding “positively” to treatment for pneumonia, the Vatican said Thursday. The pontiff is expected to remain in the hospital “at least through next week,” Alfieri said.
In response to a question from CNN, Luigi Carbone, a top doctor at the Vatican's health and hygiene office, said the pope has not lost his appetite and that he eats regularly. Alfieri added that he remains in good spirits and still retains a sense of humor.
After the acute part of the infection is treated at the hospital, Alfieri explained, Francis can eventually be treated at his residence at Casa Santa Marta.
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Francis, who received the Eucharist, has “dedicated himself to work” after a “slight” improvement in his condition, the Vatican said Thursday. The pope has received oxygen to support his breathing, a spokesman said, adding that his heart is holding up well and he has no fever.
The pontiff was admitted to a clinic in the Italian capital on February 14 and initially underwent tests for a respiratory tract infection. He was later diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs after a later CT scan.
Francis, who is originally from Argentina, is vulnerable to respiratory infections. As a young man, he suffered a severe pneumonia that led to the removal of part of one lung.
Doctors also surgically removed part of his colon in 2021 due to diverticulitis, which can cause inflammation or infection of the colon. He was hospitalized with bronchitis in 2023, and in recent months he has fallen twice, resulting in a bruised chin and an injured arm that was put on a bandage.
