Pope Francis is no longer requiring mechanical ventilation at night, indicating improvements in his condition, according to a Vatican statement. The pontiff has been hospitalized at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for almost five weeks due to a severe respiratory infection necessitating evolving treatment strategies.
He has been undergoing both respiratory physiotherapy to facilitate better breathing and physical therapy to support his mobility, as he has been relying on a wheelchair in recent years due to knee and back pain.
Doctors, although not directly involved in his care, suggest that considering his age and other health issues, Pope Francis could have a challenging and extended recovery process.
This hospital stay marks his longest absence from public engagement since he became pope in 2013. An image released by the Vatican showed Francis praying in a chapel, illustrating his current state.
A recent comprehensive medical update highlighted that Pope Francis’s clinical condition is on an upward trajectory. Overnight, non-invasive mechanical ventilation has been discontinued, but he continues to receive oxygen therapy through a small nasal hose.
His doctors are hopeful, believing the infection is now contained. The Vatican noted that he does not have a fever and his blood tests returned normal results.
While his condition has been reported as stable or improving over the last two weeks, the Vatican has yet to specify a discharge date as his recovery progresses gradually. The pope has increased susceptibility to lung infections due to a past medical history of pleurisy and having part of a lung removed in his youth.
