Pope Francis has developed pneumonia in both his lungs and will remain in the hospital as he battles the infection, according to reports.
The pontiff’s condition is complicated by his advanced age; he turned 88 in December.
“Laboratory tests, chest X-ray, and the Holy Father’s clinical condition continue to present a complex picture,” the Vatican said in a statement.
He remains in good spirits, with a Vatican spokesperson saying he has been grateful for the world’s prayers since he was first admitted to the hospital on Friday.
Francis spent last week battling a bout of bronchitis and went to the hospital after it worsened.
He is now undergoing cortisone antibiotic treatments to fight the infection, which stems from bacteria affecting his respiratory tract.
That is the second regimen of treatment the pope has gone through for this infection, which the Vatican said was of a “complex clinical picture.”
“The follow-up chest CT scan to which the Holy Father underwent this afternoon … demonstrated the onset of bilateral pneumonia, which required additional drug therapy,” the Vatican spokesperson said.
It remains unclear how long Pope Francis might remain in the hospital.
On Tuesday morning, he had reportedly slept well and then enjoyed breakfast while reading the newspapers.
He had returned to some limited work on Monday, including placing his daily call to a Catholic parish in the Gaza Strip.
Other official duties have been canceled during Francis’ illness.
Since having a part of one lung removed when he was younger, Pope Francis has been prone to winter bouts of bronchitis.
In the spring of 2023 he was previously hospitalized for pneumonia. His current hospital stay has already lasted longer than it took to treat that infection.
With Post wires
