Pope Francis Hospitalized for Medical Tests, BronchitisPope Francis, who was taken to hospital on Friday for treatment of bronchitis, is suffering from a respiratory infection but is in stable condition, the Vatican said.
"The Holy Father ... has undergone specialist examinations and has started hospital drug therapy," said a statement.
"The initial tests showed a respiratory tract infection," it said. "His clinical condition is fair; he has a slight fever."
Francis was diagnosed with bronchitis last Thursday, but he has continued to hold daily audiences in his Vatican hotel suite, attended his general audience Wednesday and even presided at an outdoor Mass on Sunday. He has, however, handed off his speeches for an aide to read aloud, saying he was having trouble breathing.
Francis, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, has long battled health problems, especially long bouts of acute bronchitis in winter. He uses a wheelchair, walker or cane when moving around his apartment and recently fell twice, hurting his arm and chin.
Ever since his diagnosis, Francis has appeared bloated, an indication the medication he was taking to treat the lung infection was making him retain water.
Francis is being hospitalized at Rome's Gemelli hospital, where he was last hospitalized in June 2023 to have surgery to remove intestinal scar tissue and repair a hernia in the abdominal wall. A few months before that, he spent three days in the hospital to receive intravenous antibiotics for a respiratory infection.
A Vatican statement said Francis would be admitted at the end of his Friday audiences. In addition to regular Vatican officials, the pope met Friday morning with the Slovak prime minister, Robert Fico, and the head of CNN, Mark Thompson...........
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