Pope Francis shows “slight improvement”, Vatican says

The Vatican reports that Pope Francis’s scan indicates a “normal evolution” of lung inflammation, while his kidney issue has “resolved.”

Pope Francis has shown "further, slight improvement" as he continues to recover from pneumonia at the age of 88, the Vatican announced Wednesday.

A CT scan of his chest indicated that the inflammation in his lungs is progressing normally, while the "mild kidney insufficiency" diagnosed on Sunday has now resolved, according to the evening update.

"The clinical condition of the Holy Father in the last 24 hours has shown a further, slight improvement," the statement read, though it did not clarify whether his condition remains critical. His doctors, however, remain cautious in their prognosis.

Francis is now spending his 13th night at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where he is reportedly eating normally and continuing to fulfill some of his work duties. A Vatican official said he has received an outpouring of letters and cards wishing him well.

Nightly prayer vigils for the pope’s recovery are ongoing at St. Peter’s Basilica, as well as in towns and cities across Italy and beyond. Some have also gathered outside Gemelli, the preferred hospital for pontiffs.

Francis was admitted on February 14 and later diagnosed with a respiratory tract infection and pneumonia in both lungs. He is particularly vulnerable to lung infections, having suffered from pleurisy as a young man, which led to the partial removal of one lung while he was training for the priesthood in Argentina.

The pope has faced several health challenges in recent years. He was hospitalized in March 2023 with pneumonia and underwent a colon operation in June 2021. He has frequently been seen using a wheelchair or walking stick due to sciatic nerve pain and a knee condition.

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