Pope Francis Remains Critical After Experiencing Respiratory Crisis
Pope Francis, who has been hospitalised for over a week experienced an asthma-like respiratory crisis of prolonged intensity, which required the administration of high-flow oxygen, Vatican news reported on Sunday.
As per Vatican News, Pope Francis had a peaceful ninth night at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital where he is being treated for double pneumonia.
Vatican News said on Saturday evening, sharing the update on the Pope’s health stating, “The condition of the Holy Father continues to be critical. Therefore, as explained yesterday, the Pope is not out of danger. This morning, Pope Francis experienced an asthma-like respiratory crisis of prolonged intensity, which required the administration of high-flow oxygen.”
The Vatican News said that the blood tests conducted on Sunday revealed thrombocytopenia, associated with anaemia, which required the administration of blood transfusions.
It noted that Pope Francis however remains alert and spent the day in an armchair, although he is more fatigued than yesterday. At the moment, the prognosis remains guarded.
As per the Vatican News, during a press conference in Rome’s Gemelli hospital on late Friday afternoon, Dr Sergio Alfieri, the head of the team taking care of the Pope, and Dr Luigi Carbone, the Vice Director of the Vatican’s healthcare service, said that they believed the Pope would be hospitalised for “at least” the entirety of the next week, and that Pope Francis is not “in danger of death,” but he’s also not fully “out of danger.”
Dr Alfieri emphasised that the Pope is not attached to a ventilator, although he is still struggling with his breathing and consequently keeping his physical movements limited. Notably, the physician said that the Pope is sitting upright in a chair, working, and joking as usual. Alfieri said that when one of the doctors greeted the Pope by saying “Hello, Holy Father”, he replied with “Hello, Holy Son.”
When enquired by journalists on what their greatest fear is regarding Pope’s health, the doctors noted that there is a risk that germs in the Pope’s respiratory tract might enter his bloodstream, causing sepsis.
Vatican News quoted Dr Alfieri who said that he was confident that Pope Francis would leave the hospital at some point and return to Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican – with the proviso that when he does so, his chronic respiratory issues will remain. (ANI)
