Pope Francis is slowly recovering in the hospital, but must "relearn to speak" after prolonged use of high-flow oxygen therapy. This was stated by Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, reports UNN with reference to Reuters.
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The cardinal, who is the head of the Vatican's doctrinal office, denied speculation that the pontiff would retire and said he was returning to his former state.
The Pope is feeling very well, but high-flow oxygen dries everything out. He needs to relearn how to speak, but his overall physical condition is the same as before
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The 88-year-old Pope has been in hospital for five weeks with bilateral pneumonia, during which time the Vatican has released only one short audio recording of his speech, on March 6, when his voice was broken, choking and difficult to understand.
In its latest health report, released on Friday, the Vatican said the Pope's condition remained stable with "slight improvements in breathing and mobility."
He confirmed that he had not used artificial ventilation to ease his breathing at night since Monday, and instead received oxygen through a small tube under his nose most of the time.
There is no official indication of when he may return home to the Vatican, and Fernandez said he did not know if he would be discharged by Easter, which falls on April 20.
"He may return, but doctors want to be 100% sure, because he believes that in the short time he has left, he wants to devote himself entirely to others, not to himself," Fernandez said.
Asked if he thought Francis might resign, the cardinal replied: "I really don't think so, no."
In the past two years, Francis has suffered several bouts of ill health and is prone to pulmonary infections, having suffered pleurisy in his youth and had part of one lung removed.
