Pope Francis, who is battling bilateral pneumonia, remains in critical condition for the second day in a row, and doctors are cautious about the prognosis, the Vatican said tonight.
The pope, 88, was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on February 14 after struggling to breathe for several days.
The Vatican described his condition as critical for the first time yesterday, saying the pope had required supplemental oxygen and a blood transfusion after a “prolonged asthma-like respiratory crisis.”
“The pope’s condition remains critical, but he has not had any additional respiratory crises since last night,” the new statement said.
The Vatican said the pope was “awake and well-oriented” and had received “high-flow oxygen therapy.”
