BBC reported that Pope Francis, 88, has had a respiratory infection for more than a week and was rushed to Gemelli Hospital, Rome on February 15. On February 18, the Vatican said that the latest tests showed that the popes had bilateral pneumonia, which required a change in the treatment regimen with drugs.
The CT scan results of the afternoon of February 17 showed the initiation of pneumonia on both sides, forcing doctors to adjust the treatment regimen for the second time during the papal's hospital stay. Previously, the papal had a multi-bacteria respiratory infection and had symptoms of bronchitis for many days.
Despite his "difficult" health condition, Vatican said the Pope remains optimistic, spending time reading, resting and praying. The popes also expressed their gratitude to those who sent their best wishes and called on everyone to pray for him.
Before being hospitalized, Cardinal Francis is expected to host many important events within the framework of the 2025 Year of the Catholic Church. However, all public events in the schedule have been canceled until February 23.
The papal health has always been a special concern due to a history of illness. As a young man, the papist suffered from pneumonia and had to have part of his lungs removed at the age of 21, causing a higher risk of lung infection than normal.
This is not the first time that Pope Francis has been hospitalized. During his 12 years as head of the Catholic Church, the papal has undergone many hospitalizations, including one in March 2023, which saw him hospitalized for three days for bronchitis.
With the popes' current health condition, many have questioned whether the Vatican is prepared for the possibility of the papy not being able to carry out important tasks in the coming time? Historically, when a cardinal was not healthy enough to take on the job, the Cardinal Youth Union often played a supporting role.
However, the Vatican has yet to make any official statement about who will replace Pope Francis if the papal situation continues to worsen.
