The state of Pope Francis remained stable, said the Vatican on Saturday evening, but he warned that his prognosis “remains kept”.
The Vatican said in a press release that the Pope had received “non -invasive mechanical ventilation and long periods of high speed oxygen therapy, systematically maintaining a good response to gas exchange.” Francis has no fever and its number of white blood cells remains stable, added the Vatican.
Francis was Admitted to the Gemelli Hospital in Rome on February 14 For bronchitis and has since struggled against pneumonia in its two lungs.
He spent a peaceful night After having undergone a bronchial crisis The day before, which caused a sudden worsening of his health, said the Vatican in an update earlier during the day. On Saturday evening, the Vatican said that Francis had not known any episode of bronchospasm – a tightening of the muscles in the small respiratory tract of the lungs – throughout the day.
Friday afternoon, the Vatican said 88 year old pontiff had “an isolated crisis of bronchospasm” which led to “an episode of vomiting with inhalation”, raising concerns concerning a potentially major reverse in the pope‘condition After More than two weeks in the hospital.
A bronchospasm occurs when the muscles that line the respiratory tracts connecting the lungs to the trachea tightened, limiting the oxygen intake, according to the Cleveland clinic.
On Friday, the Pope quickly started the non -invasive mechanical ventilation, to which he had a good answer, said the Vatican, adding that he had remained “alert and oriented at any time”.
The more than a billion members of the Catholic Church in the world have been in advance in recent weeks, because Francis’ health has fluctuated. The Vatican has issued almost daily updates to the complex state of the Pope.
Last week, the Vatican published a statement saying his The condition was “critical”, and that he needed oxygen therapy and blood transfusion. On Wednesday, the Pope showed “a slight additional improvement,” said the Vatican at the time, before undergoing a “aggravating” Friday.
The Pope has fought against health conditions in recent years, including flu and other respiratory problems. In 2021, he underwent surgery for a gastrointestinal disease called diverticulitis. He also had a procedure in 2023 for a hernia.
Throughout its most recent health problems, the Vatican maintains that the Pope was “alert” and continued to exercise some of his functions as head of the Catholic Church.
February 23, Francis published a declaration on X Thanking the sympathizers for their prayers and their messages.
“I recently received many messages of affection, and I was particularly struck by letters and children’s drawings,” he wrote. “Thank you for your proximity and for the consoling prayers that I received from the whole world!”
Originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Francis was elected to the papacy in 2013. He is the first pope of the Americas.
Francis’ predecessor, Pope Benoît XVI, shocked Le Monde in 2013 when he announced his resignationquoting his “advanced age”. Benoît was the first pope to abdicate the papacy since Pope Celestine V resigned in 1294. Francis promised several times during his almost 12 years at the head of the church which he would not resign.
The Associated Press contributed.