Pope Francis, fighting pneumonia in hospital for almost three weeks, remained stable on Thursday and did not have new episodes of respiratory crisis, said the Vatican.
In a sign of progress when the 88 -year -old pontiff continues to treat, the Pope’s doctors said they did not issue another medical bulletin before Saturday, “given the stability of the clinical picture”.
Francis was admitted to the Gemelli Hospital in Rome on February 14 with a serious respiratory infection which required constantly evolving treatment.
In the last detailed medical update of his condition, the Vatican said that the Pope had not had a fever and that his blood tests had remained stable. Despite the end of daily readings on his condition, the doctors continued to call the prognosis of the “kept” Pope, which means that he was not yet out of danger.
The tone of the Vatican updates has been more optimistic in recent days, after what has been described as two episodes of “acute respiratory failure” on Monday.
Thursday, the Vatican said that the Pope was able to work between receiving his treatments and resting.
He also said that the pontiff, who has used a wheelchair in recent years due to knee and back pain, had continued with physical therapy to help mobility, which started on Wednesday.
Monday’s respiratory episodes had forced Francis to use non -invasive mechanical ventilation, which involves placing a mask on the face to help push air in the lungs.
The Pope now only receives ventilation at night, said the Vatican. During the day, he receives oxygen via a small hose under his nose.
Francis has not been seen in public since entering the hospital, his longest absence since his papacy started 12 years ago. His doctors have not said how long the treatment could last.
The Pope, who is known to work himself in exhaustion, continued to work from the hospital. Thursday, the Vatican announced the appointments of two bishops who would need its approval.
The Pope has experienced several episodes of poor health in the past two years and is subject to pulmonary infections because he had pleurisy as a young adult and had part of a lung removed.
Double pneumonia is a serious infection in the two lungs that can ignite them and scars, which makes breathing difficult.
