Pope Francis out of danger but will remain in hospital
Pope Francis is no longer considered in imminent danger from his lung infection, but he will remain in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for several more days to continue receiving medical treatment, the Vatican said.
The improvements in the 88-year-old pope’s condition recorded in the previous days “have been further consolidated” and were confirmed by the results of blood tests and his positive response to drug therapy, the Vatican said in its evening medical bulletin March 10.
Doctors had previously noted “a good response to therapy” March 8, adding that his gas exchanges — the intake of oxygen and output of carbon dioxide — had improved and that blood tests showed his condition to be stable.
Continuing his treatment
While his doctors’ prognosis for the pope was “guarded” for more than three weeks after he was hospitalized on Feb. 14, they lifted that designation on March 10, indicating he was no longer in imminent danger from the infection that hospitalized him. He was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia on Feb. 18.
However, due to the severity of the infection and the complexity of his condition, doctors determined that “it will be necessary to continue, for additional days, medical drug therapy in a hospital setting,” the bulletin said.
The pope followed parts of the Roman Curia’s Lenten retreat by video on both March 9 and 10, the bulletin said, and he received the Eucharist before praying in the chapel of his hospital suite.
“In the afternoon he again joined the Curia’s spiritual exercises, following by a video connection,” it said. “During the day he alternated between prayer and rest.”
Gratitude and milestones
No new images of the pope have been seen in more than three weeks, but the Vatican shared an audio message from the pope on March 6 in which, with labored breath, he thanked the faithful for their prayers for his health.
Despite his hospitalization, Pope Francis was preparing to mark two significant milestones: 67 years since entering the Society of Jesus on March 11, and 12 years since his election as pope on March 13.
This article was written by Justin McLellan of the Catholic News Service.
Featured image: A woman prays outside of Rome’s Gemelli Hospital where Pope Francis is receiving treatment. (CNS photo / Pablo Esparza)
