Rome: Pope Francis, who was hospitalised with a respiratory infection on Wednesday (local time) after experiencing difficulty in breathing, had spent a peaceful night in hospital, a Vatican official said Thursday.
The 86-year-old pontiff was taken to Gemelli hospital in Rome for tests on Wednesday afternoon (local time) after having trouble in breathing in recent days. The Vatican said that Francis, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, does not have COVID-19 but will remain in the hospital for few days of treatment.
Pope to celebrate Palm Sunday this weekend
Francis is slated to celebrate Palm Sunday this weekend and no his hospitalization makes it uncertain how his medical condition would impact the Vatican's Holy Week celebrations, which include Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday on April 9.
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First hospitalisation after removal of 33 centimetres of intestines
It was Francis' first hospitalisation following the removal of 33 centimetres (13 inches) of his intestines and ten days spent at the Gemelli hospital in July 2021. After the surgery that the pope said he had fully recovered and could eat normally. But in a January 24, Francis said his diverticulosis, or bulges in the intestinal wall, had “returned.”
Before he was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday, the pope had appeared in relatively good form during his regularly scheduled general audience, though he grimaced strongly while getting in and out of the “popemobile.”
Francis has used a wheelchair for over a year due to strained ligaments in his right knee and a small knee fracture, though he had been walking more with a cane of late. He has said he resisted having surgery for the knee problems because he didn’t respond well to general anesthesia during the 2021 intestinal surgery.
(With AP inputs)
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