Pope’s health improving as he remains in hospital

Pope Francis, who has battling pneumonia for two weeks, is showing signs of improvement, the Vatican has said in a medical update.

He will remain in hospital due to a complex clinical picture, the Vatican said on Friday morning.

It added the 88-year-old had another “peaceful night” and is “now resting” in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital.

Italian news agency Ansa reported that the pontiff was now out of the “critical phase”, citing Vatican sources.

The Pope was admitted to hospital on 14 February after experiencing breathing difficulties for several days.

He was first treated for bronchitis before being diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs.

Then on 22 February, the Vatican said that the Pope had experienced a respiratory crisis and was in a “critical” condition, but later on Sunday released an update that he had “not presented any further respiratory crises”.

The following day the Pope issued a statement asking Catholics to pray for him after he was unable to deliver the traditional Angelus prayer in person for the second week running.

But, while the Vatican said the Pope’s health is improving it added “further days of clinical stability are necessary to resolve the prognosis”.

The pontiff is particularly susceptible to pneumonia, an infection of the lungs that can be caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi, after he contracted pleurisy – an inflammation of the lungs – as a young man and had a partial lung removal.

The leader of the Roman Catholic Church has been admitted to hospital multiple times during his 12-year tenure, including being treated for bronchitis at the same hospital in March 2023.

From Argentina, Pope Francis is the first Latin American, and first Jesuit, to lead the Roman Catholic Church.