Pope Francis’ critical condition has shown “slight improvement,” according to a statement from the Holy See Press Office, which noted the Catholic Church leader, who was hospitalized for pneumonia last week, resumed some of his work as he continued receiving oxygen therapy.
Francis was hospitalized on Feb. 14. (Photo by TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)
The office said in a statement Monday Francis’ condition, “despite its severity, has shown a slight improvement,” adding no episodes of respiratory distress occurred Sunday.
Laboratory tests showed small improvements, though the pope did show slightly reduced oxygen flow and levels.
Doctors are maintaining their prognosis on the pope, who spoke with the parish priest of Gaza as he resumed his work.
Francis’ mild kidney failure reported over the weekend has not raised any further concerns, the Holy See Press Office reported.
The Pope also received blood transfusions over the weekend, according to a separate statement from the office.
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10 days. That is how much time has passed since the Pope was first hospitalized for bronchitis. He spent his tenth night in the hospital resting, according to the Holy See Press Office, which said “the night went well.”
Francis, 88, was hospitalized for bronchitis on Feb. 14 and was initially in stable condition before suffering from a polymicrobial infection that extended his hospital stay. Doctors later found the pope developed pneumonia in both of his lungs in addition to bacterial, viral and fungal infections. Sepsis, when a body overreacts to an infection and triggers drops in blood pressure and organ functionality, is the leading threat to the pope’s health, his doctors have said. Francis has dealt with hospitalizations in recent years, experiencing a narrowing of his large intestine in 2021 and bronchitis in 2023.