The Vatican confirmed Pope Francis remains stable despite being hospitalized with pneumonia in both lungs – a critical development for the 88-year-old pontiff battling respiratory complications. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni reported the Pope slept peacefully overnight and maintained his morning routine of breakfast and newspaper reading at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital.
Medical teams revealed bronchial inflammation rapidly progressed to bilateral pneumonia, requiring cortisone and antibiotic therapies. A CT scan detected air sac inflammation across both lungs, with Bruni emphasizing the 'complex clinical picture' intensified by Francis’ 1957 lung surgery.
‘His condition lacks fever but shows weakened immune response,’stated Dr. Carmelo D’Asero, highlighting concerns about age-related vulnerability.
Treatment protocol includes:
- Intravenous antibiotics targeting polymicrobial infection
- Cortisone to reduce airway inflammation
- Continuous monitoring of oxygen saturation
Despite challenges, the Pope retains his signature optimism, reviewing work documents and thanking children who sent recovery artwork from the hospital’s oncology unit. Vatican updates stress his lucidity but avoid specifying discharge timelines, noting treatment requires 'adequate time' given recurring adjustments to medications.
Pneumonia severity escalates when both lungs lose functional capacity, leaving no healthy tissue to compensate – a critical factor for elderly patients. While Francis avoids supplemental oxygen thus far, Dr. D’Asero clarifies that ‘low fever levels amid serious infection signal diminished defenses’, urging cautious observation.
News of the Pope’s hospitalization coincides with symbolic gestures – including a rainbow over Gemelli Hospital – as global faith leaders amplify prayers for his recovery. The Vatican continues hourly condition briefings while managing public optimism against medical realities of geriatric pneumonia outcomes.
