Pope Francis has developed bilateral pneumonia, further complicating his treatment for a respiratory infection, the Vatican said on Tuesday. All public events through Sunday have been cancelled, as the 88-year-old pontiff remains in hospital for ongoing care.
The Vatican confirmed that a CT scan showed the onset of bilateral pneumonia, requiring additional pharmacological therapy. The condition affects both lungs, making breathing more difficult.
Despite the diagnosis, the Vatican said:
"Pope Francis remains in good spirits."
Francis was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital on February 14 for a respiratory infection. Doctors have adjusted his medication for the second time as they work to manage a "polymicrobial infection", which involves multiple microorganisms.
The Vatican has not disclosed whether the infection is bacterial or viral. Bacterial pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics, but viral infections require supportive care.
The pontiff is especially vulnerable to lung infections due to a past lung operation. In his youth, he had part of one lung removed due to pleurisy, a condition that causes inflammation of the lungs.
A Vatican official stated that Francis is breathing on his own and has not been placed on a ventilator.
The Vatican announced the cancellation of all public events through Sunday, including key gatherings for the 2025 Catholic Holy Year, which expects 32 million pilgrims to visit Rome.
Doctors have not given a timeline for Francis' discharge, stating:
"The Holy Father will remain in hospital for as long as necessary.
G7 foreign ministers called on Iran to end its arming and support of Houthis in Yemen, which they said constituted...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv was ready to halt strikes on Russian energy facilities if Moscow stops targeting Ukraine’s ...
When U.S. President Donald Trump welcomes Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on 24 September, trad...
Iran's military has threatened to launch sustained attacks on U.S. bases and interests across the Middle East if Washington resumes military action against Tehran.
Overnight Russian strikes on the city of Sumy, northeast Ukraine, have killed one woman and injured a man, the country's State Emergency Service has said.
Russian parliamentary elections have delivered a comfortable win to the ruling United Russia party, which is closely aligned to President Vladimir Putin. With more than 95 per cent of ballots counted, United Russia has taken 57.83 per cent of the vote, up from the 49.8 per cent it won in 2021.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) took first place in state elections in northeastern Germany on Sunday, voting projections showed, delivering the worst result for Chancellor Friedrich Merz's mainstream conservative party since 1949.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv was ready to halt strikes on Russian energy facilities if Moscow stops targeting Ukraine’s energy sector, critical infrastructure, and food exports, as he prepared to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in New York.
Chinese researchers have developed the world’s smallest CT scanner, a portable device designed to produce images of tiny fossils and archaeological relics.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 17 September 2026. These are the top five stories making headlines in the field of health.
Doctors in St. Louis have successfully separated Ethiopian two-year-old twin girls who were born joined at the head after a months-long series of complex operations culminating in a nearly 25-hour final procedure, doctors said on Wednesday.
Tobacco use may significantly reduce fertility in both men and women, according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) publication that highlights growing evidence linking smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke with reproductive health problems.
A record-breaking heatwave that swept across western Europe in late June has been linked to more than 10,000 excess deaths, according to newly released mortality data, highlighting the growing human toll of extreme temperatures across the continent.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment