Pope Francis will have to remain in hospital longer than expected as his clinical condition is “complex,” the Vatican said.
Pope Francis will have to remain much longer in hospital than originally expected because he has “a complex clinical condition” according to a communique from the Vatican press office at 1 p.m. today, Feb. 17, based on information provided by the medical team at the Gemelli Hospital that is caring for him.
It said “the results of the investigations carried out in recent days and today have shown a polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract that has led to a further modification of the respiratory tract.”
It concluded that “all the investigations carried out to date are indicative of a complex clinical picture that will require an adequate hospital stay.”
An update on the pope's condition was sent to accredited journalists by the Vatican press office at 7:00 p.m. local time, today. It stated that Pope Francis "continues to be without fever and is following the prescribed therapy” and his “clinical conditions are stable."
In addition, it stated that the pope “received the Eucharist this morning and afterwards dedicated himself to some work activities and to the reading of texts.”
“Pope Francis has been touched by the numerous messages of affection and closeness that he continues to receive in these hours," the statement said. “In a particular way, he wishes to express his gratitude to all those who are at this moment in hospital, for the love and affection that they have expressed through drawings and messages of good wishes. He prays for them, and asks them to pray for him.”
America consulted Anna Lisa Bilotta, an Italian doctor who works in the renowned Salvator Mundi International Hospital in Rome but is not treating the pope, and asked her to unpack the first report. She began by noting that the earlier medical reports have never used the word “bronchitis” in regard to the pope [although yesterday’s Angelus message from the pope used the word], and today’s report “suggests that the pope has a severe or very complex respiratory situation, that could be pneumonia and so needs a complex therapy. Hence they have again modified the therapy.”
She added that “the situation seems more serious than [the doctors] had assumed, and the very fact that they have prescribed ‘complete rest’ for the 88-year-old pope indicates that he could have pneumonia and will need to remain in hospital for some time.”
Yesterday Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, told ANSA, “Pope Francis is improving, he is recovering well.” Some media reports had suggested he could be discharged from the hospital on Wednesday but today’s report suggests his recovery will take much more time.
Pope Francis was admitted to the Gemelli Hospital around midday on Feb.14. We now know that he contacted the Holy Family parish in Gaza by phone on both Friday and Saturday evenings, as he has done every day since the war started last October, but he did not do so on Sunday because the doctors had instructed him to observe complete rest.
Updated on Feb. 17 at 1:50 p.m. to include the Vatican's most recent statement.
