Pope Francis was placed in critical condition after suffering a long asthmatic respiratory crisis that required high flows of oxygen, the Vatican announced on Saturday. The 88-year-old leader has been hospitalized for over a week with a complex lung infection, including pneumonia, which doctors say remains touch-and-go.
Francis received blood transfusions to address a condition associated with anemia and continues to receive treatment for his respiratory issues. His medical team warned that the main threat facing him is sepsis, a serious infection of the blood that can occur as a complication of pneumonia.
The Vatican carried on with its Holy Year celebrations without the pope on Saturday, with deacons gathering at the Vatican for their special Jubilee weekend. Francis was expected to have celebrated deacons, but his absence was felt by those attending the event.
Doctors say Francis’ recovery will take time and that he will still need to live with chronic respiratory problems after his recovery. “He is not out of danger,” said his personal physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone. “The fact is, all doors are open.”
Source: https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-pneumonia-sepsis-vatican-respiratory-infection-bab5b9a141517171d4efc71fadafa0a4