Pope's condition remains ‘stable' at hospital: Vatican

ISTANBUL

Pope Francis' condition remains stable as he battles with bilateral pneumonia at a hospital in Rome, the Vatican said Monday.

"As of Sunday evening, the Pope's clinical condition remained stable as he continued treatment for bilateral pneumonia at Rome's Gemelli Hospital," the Vatican said in a statement.

The 88-year-old pontiff "slept well throughout the night," according to the statement, which confirmed that his clinical status had shown no deterioration as of Sunday evening.

Timeline of Pope’s hospitalization

The pontiff has been hospitalized since Feb. 14 and is being treated for double pneumonia.

The Vatican announced on Feb. 18 that the pope developed double pneumonia and his clinical condition was complicated.

A Feb. 21 statement said doctors indicated Francis's life was not in immediate danger, although he was not completely out of danger.

One day later, his condition was said to be critical after he suffered a “prolonged asthma-like respiratory crisis.”

On Feb. 24, the Vatican said that although Francis's health remained critical, a slight improvement was observed, and on Feb. 25, it described the situation as critical but stable.

On Feb. 26 and 27, the Vatican reported that the Pope's condition had improved.

In a statement late Friday, the Vatican said the Pope underwent broncho-aspiration due to a bronchospasm crisis and that non-invasive mechanical ventilation was initiated to ensure gas exchange -- adequate intake of oxygen and adequate removal of carbon dioxide -- and the treatment received a positive response.

Since Saturday, the Pope has been stable, while the prognosis remains guarded.

Francis was admitted to Gemelli Hospital for the first time in 2021 where he underwent colon surgery.

The Pope, who has been using a wheelchair in recent years due to pain in his knee, was treated at the hospital twice in 2023 -- once for a respiratory issue causing shortness of breath, likely related to bronchitis, and another time for abdominal surgery to repair a hernia, which involved placing a prosthesis on his abdominal wall.