Pope Francis’s blood tests have shown a “slight improvement” in his condition as he receives hospital treatment for pneumonia, the Vatican has said.
The 88-year-old pontiff was now in stable condition, as he continues to battle an ongoing respiratory infection, the Vatican said on Wednesday.
After battling for several days with breathing issues, Francis was given a hospital stay in Rome, Italy, on February 14.
“The clinical conditions of the Holy Father are stable”, said a brief Vatican statement.
“Blood tests … show a slight improvement, particularly in the inflammatory markers”.
The pope was previously informed by the Vatican that he had a polymicrobial infection and that he would remain hospitalized as long as it was necessary to deal with a “complex clinical situation.”
Giorgia Meloni, the pope’s representative in Italy, earlier on Wednesday, said he was “alert and responsive” and had joked with her.
“He hasn’t lost his proverbial sense of humour”, said Meloni, the pope’s first known visitor in hospital.
While she and Francis don’t see eye-to-eye on her crackdown on migrants, they have teamed up on a campaign to reverse Italy’s low birth rate.
Francis was not using a ventilator, according to a Vatican official earlier on Wednesday, and was breathing on his own.
The pope was continuing to do some work, according to the official, who said he had been able to get out of bed and sit in an armchair in his hospital room.
The pope’s cancelled weekly audience at the Vatican on Wednesday prayed for his recovery.
“We will pray for him so that he can recover as soon as possible”, said Gianfranco Rizzo, a pilgrim from Bari, Italy.
Victoria Darmody, a tourist from England, said she came to the Gemelli Hospital to be near the pope.
We planned to visit the papal audience today, but we decided to do it here instead, she said.
Source: Aljazeera
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