Pope Francis, 88, experienced two bouts of acute respiratory distress on Monday, a major setback in his fight against double pneumonia, the Vatican confirmed.
The pope, hospitalized in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital since February 14, is again on non-invasive mechanical ventilation to support his breathing. His situation worsened because of an accumulation of endobronchial mucus, which resulted in the severe difficulty of breathing, a Vatican statement said. He also had a bronchospasm, akin to an asthma attack, so doctors performed two bronchoscopies to remove mucus from his airway.
Even with stable blood test results, the Vatican reported Francis prognosis as “guarded,” meaning that he is still in a critical condition. According to a Vatican official, who spoke anonymously, the respiratory episodes were a natural reaction of his body to the infection.
There were more positive updates over the weekend regarding the pope’s health after a previous bronchospasm last Friday. Having been given ventilation, he had improved to oxygen support through a nasal tube over the weekend. Monday’s complications are however raising doubts again about his recovery.
Francis has faced multiple health challenges in recent years, making him particularly vulnerable to lung infections. As a young man, he suffered from pleurisy, which led to the removal of part of one lung. Double pneumonia, a serious infection affecting both lungs, can cause significant inflammation and scarring, further complicating his breathing.
The pope has not been seen in public since he was hospitalized, the longest such period of absence since the beginning of his papacy in 2013. The doctors have not given a time frame for his release, and it remains unclear when he will return to work.
