Pope Francis in critical condition after a 'respiratory crisis,' Vatican says
Pope Francis, who has been hospitalized for over a week, is in critical condition after a "prolonged asthma-like respiratory crisis," the Vatican said Saturday.
The pope is "more unwell than yesterday," the Vatican said in a statement.
The 88-year-old pontiff was hospitalized at the Gemelli University Hospital in Rome on Feb. 14 for treatment for bronchitis, and was later diagnosed with a polymicrobial infection and is being treated for double pneumonia. The Vatican first announced he had bronchitis on Feb. 6.
He also needed blood transfusions due to anemia and high-flow oxygen during the respiratory crisis, the Vatican said on Saturday. Still, the pope is alert and spent much of the day seated in an armchair.
His prognosis is "guarded," the Vatican said.
"The Holy Father's condition remains critical," the statement said. "The Pope is not out of danger."
Before his hospitalization, Francis reportedly struggled to speak and breathe at his public appearances and meetings in recent weeks. He has asked aides to read prepared remarks for him.
Francis has had several bouts with illness and visits to the Gemelli hospital in recent years, including flu-like symptoms at this time last year, bronchitis in March 2023 and abdominal surgery in June 2023 to repair a hernia that kept him in the hospital nine days.
He also had two recent falls in December and last month, the Vatican said.
(This story has been updated to add new information and to correct a misspelling/typo.)
Contributing: Reuters