Pope Francis was admitted to hospital last week for the same condition that saw him fall ill in 2023, but this time he believes he won't be so lucky, according to sources close to the veteran.
The 88-year-old has been diagnosed with pneumonia in both of his lungs following his admission to Rome's Gemelli hospital on Friday last week (February 14) with bronchitis - a respiratory infection.
According to Cleveland Clinic, 'pneumonia is inflammation and fluid in your lungs caused by a bacterial, viral or fungal infection. It makes it difficult to breathe and can cause a fever and cough with yellow, green or bloody mucus'.
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It also indicates that pneumonia can be life-threatening 'if left untreated, especially if you have an underlying health condition'.
Fortunately, despite the diagnosis, it is understood he is breathing independently.
Two people allegedly clued-up on the situation told Politico that the leader of the Catholic Church has been 'suffering from intense pain and has privately expressed certainty he won’t make it this time'.
While a third person is understood to have told the US-based publication that Francis - who was born in the Flores neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina - is acting entirely on 'doctor's orders'.
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However, Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni visited the Pope on Wednesday and stressed he was in good enough health to crack jokes.
"Very happy to have found him alert and responsive. We joked as always. He hasn't lost his proverbial sense of humour," she explained.
A statement issued by the Vatican today (February 21), read: "The night went well, and this morning Pope Francis got up and had breakfast."
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While sources close to the Pope appear to doubt his recovery, the Vatican insisted on Wednesday that he was on the mend, adding: "The blood tests, evaluated by the medical staff, show a slight improvement, particularly in inflammatory indices."
On Thursday (February 20), the Vatican wrote: "Pope Francis has had a restful night and this morning, got out of bed and had breakfast in an armchair."
It isn't the first time Francis has been hospitalized with a respiratory infection, in March 2023 he was taken into Gemelli hospital with acute bronchitis.
Following his discharge, he told the world: "I am still alive.”
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Pope Francis made history when he was elected 12 years ago back in March 2013, becoming the first pope from the Southern Hemisphere - as well as the first non-European elected in nearly 1,300 years.
Topics: Pope Francis, Health, Catholic Church, Religion
Joe Yates