The state of Pope Francis continues to be “critical” after having undergone “prolonged asthma type respiratory crisis” earlier on Saturday, said the Vatican.
The pontiff is “worse than yesterday” and had received blood transfusions, according to the press release.
The Vatican said that the 88 -year -old man was alert and in his chair, but had required a “high flow” of oxygen and his prognosis “remains kept”.
The Pope is treated for pneumonia in the two lungs of the Gemelli Hospital in Rome.
Blood transfusions were deemed necessary due to a small number of plates, associated with anemia, said the Vatican.
“The state of the Holy Father remains critical,” said a press release. “The pope is not out of danger.”
“The Holy Father continues to be alert and spent the day in an armchair even if he suffered more than yesterday,” added the press release.
The Pope was admitted for the first time to the hospital on February 14 after having had difficulty breathing for several days.
Earlier, the Vatican had announced that Pope Francis would not appear in public to direct prayer with pilgrims on Sunday, which means that the event will miss the second consecutive week.
Friday, his doctors said that there was no imminent risk for his life, but he was “not by danger”.
His condition has already been described as complex.
The Pope is particularly subject to pulmonary infections due to the development of pleurisy – inflammation around the lungs – as an adult and having part of one of his lungs removed at 21 years.
During his 12 years as head of the Roman Catholic Church, Argentinian was hospitalized several times, especially in March 2023, when he spent three nights in the hospital with bronchitis.
