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- Double pneumonia is a serious infection that can inflame and scar both lungs and makes breathing more difficult
- The Vatican had said previously that the pope would stay in hospital as long as necessary to tackle a 鈥渃omplex clinical situation鈥�
VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis, who is spending his sixth day in hospital for treatment of a respiratory infection, is alert and ate breakfast on Wednesday, the Vatican said in its latest update on the pontiff鈥檚 fragile health.
Francis has the onset of double pneumonia, the Vatican said on Tuesday, complicating treatment for the 88-year-old pope who was admitted to Rome鈥檚 Gemelli hospital on February 14.
Double pneumonia is a serious infection that can inflame and scar both lungs and makes breathing more difficult.
The Vatican had said previously that the pope had a polymicrobial infection, which occurs when two or more micro-organisms are involved, adding that he would stay in hospital as long as necessary to tackle a 鈥渃omplex clinical situation.鈥�
A Vatican official, who did not wish to be named because he was not authorized to speak about the pope鈥檚 condition, said on Wednesday Francis was not on a ventilator and was breathing on his own.
The official said the pope had been able to get out of bed and sit in an armchair in his hospital room, and was continuing to do some work.
The Vatican is expected to give a further update on the pope鈥檚 condition later on Wednesday.
A wave of messages of support for Francis had come in from across the world, the Vatican鈥檚 official media outlet reported. Pilgrims at the Vatican on Wednesday for the pope鈥檚 canceled weekly audience expressed hope for his recovery.
鈥淲e will pray for him so that he can recover as soon as possible,鈥� said Gianfranco Rizzo, a pilgrim from Bari, Italy.
The pope has been plagued by ill health in recent years, including regular bouts of flu, sciatica nerve pain and an abdominal hernia that required surgery in 2023. As a young adult he developed pleurisy and had part of one lung removed.
All the pope鈥檚 public engagements have been canceled through Sunday and he has no further official events on the Vatican鈥檚 published calendar.
鈥橵ERY TARGETED THERAPY鈥�
Gemelli hospital, Rome鈥檚 largest, has a special suite for treating popes, and is known especially for often treating the late Pope John Paul II during his long papacy.
Francis spent nine days at Gemelli in June 2023, when he had surgery to repair an abdominal hernia.
Outside the hospital on Wednesday, people were leaving flowers and small personal notes under a famous statue of John Paul II, wishing a speedy recovery for Francis.
Victoria Darmody, a tourist from England, said she came to the hospital just to be near the pope. 鈥淲e were hoping to go to the papal audience today but felt this was the right place to be instead,鈥� she said.
Andrea Vicini, a Jesuit priest and medical doctor, said it was notable that the Vatican鈥檚 statement on Tuesday referred to the pontiff as having the onset of pneumonia and not bronchopneumonia. The latter would indicate an infection that is more widespread, he said.
鈥淚t (sounds like) it鈥檚 more localized and has not spread,鈥� said Vicini, a professor at Boston College, who said he did not have details of the pope鈥檚 case beyond the Vatican鈥檚 public statements.
鈥淚f they identified the pathogen, as I expect they would have done, they will have a very targeted therapy,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 am optimistic. It seems they are controlling what is happening.鈥�
Work at the Vatican was continuing as the pope was in hospital. One senior official, Cardinal Michael Czerny, was still expected to depart on Wednesday for a five-day visit to Lebanon.
The Vatican鈥檚 top diplomat, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, returned to Rome as scheduled on Wednesday morning from a trip to Burkina Faso.