“Pope’s Hospital Stay Extended Indefinitely, Vatican Reveals”
By Joshua McElweeROME (Reuters) – Pope Francis is undergoing treatment for a respiratory infection in a hospital, and his stay will be prolonged as necessary, as shared by a Vatican spokesperson on Saturday. Matteo Bruni, the director of the Vatican’s press office, stated, “We will monitor his response to the treatment. I cannot provide a specific date for his discharge.” Bruni added that the Pope had a restful night in the hospital on Friday, and his fever did not spike overnight. Francis is anticipated to undergo further diagnostic tests on Saturday, according to Bruni. An unnamed Vatican official mentioned that the Pope did not have a fever on Saturday morning.
The 88-year-old pontiff has been battling bronchitis for more than a week and was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital for medical care on Friday morning. Gemelli hospital, the largest in Rome, includes a dedicated suite for treating popes and is renowned for its care of the late Pope John Paul II during his lengthy papacy. In June 2023, Francis spent nine days at Gemelli following surgery to repair an abdominal hernia.
Outside the hospital on Saturday, groups of individuals congregated beneath a prominent statue of John Paul II to offer prayers for Francis. Giovanni Di Muro, an Italian visitor whose son was hospitalized, expressed, “We heard the news yesterday morning with sadness. We hope it’s nothing serious and that everything will turn out well.” On Friday evening, the Vatican disclosed that diagnostic tests pointed to a respiratory tract infection affecting Francis.
Since assuming the papacy in 2013, Francis has encountered influenza and various health concerns multiple times in the past two years. As a young adult, he suffered from pleurisy, leading to the removal of part of one of his lungs. In recent times, he has been susceptible to lung infections. Francis has been grappling with respiratory issues since mid-December. He excused himself from reading statements at several public events in January and February, though he attended the events and delegated aides to read his prepared remarks.
(Reporting by Joshua McElwee and Giselda Vagnoni, with additional reporting by Veronica Altimari; edited by David Evans and Kirsten Donovan)
