Pope Francis hospitalised due to respiratory infection, may spend 'few days'
Pope Francis has a respiratory infection and will need to spend “a few days” in hospital for treatment, the Vatican said in a statement on Wednesday, amid concern for the 86-year-old's condition.
FollowPope Francis, 86, was admitted to a hospital in Rome with a respiratory infection which will require a stay of a few days, the Vatican said. Pope Francis has recently complained of having some respiratory issues, according to a statement from Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni.
The pontiff was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital for medical checks, which revealed "a respiratory infection... that will require a few days of appropriate hospital medical treatment", Bruni said, adding that a Covid-19 infection had been excluded.
Francis had been admitted, according to the Vatican, "for some previously scheduled checks," earlier in the day.
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The Pope, who celebrated his 10th anniversary as leader of the Catholic Church this month, was previously seen to be in high spirits during his weekly audience with the devout at the Vatican. He smiled as he welcomed them from his "popemobile."
He was seen frowning as he was assisted into the car, though, and the Italian media claimed that he was brought to the hospital by ambulance.
The Argentine pontiff suffers from chronic knee pain that has forced him to rely on a wheelchair in recent months. He had surgery on his intestines at The Gemelli in July 2021 after developing a specific type of diverticulitis, an inflammation of pockets that form in the walls of the gut.
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His health has frequently been the focus of rumors, especially the one about whether he will follow his predecessor's lead and step down if he is unable to continue.
