Pope Francis “is fine” as his medical condition is not life-threatening, but he is expected to remain hospitalized for at least all of next week, his doctors in Italy announced Friday.
Gemelli hospital Dr. Sergio Alfieri and Francis’ personal physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone, spoke as the 88-year-old pope marked his first week in a hospital with pneumonia on top of chronic bronchitis.
“The pope is fine,” Alfieri told reporters Friday, noting that Francis instructed he and Carbone to provide an update.
Alfieri added that the pope is getting the same treatment as anyone with his condition would get.
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The pope is receiving occasional supplements of oxygen when he needs it and is responding to the strengthened drug therapy he is receiving to fight pneumonia and a complex lung infection, according to his doctors.
Francis is dealing with a multipronged infection of bacteria and virus in the respiratory tract.
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Doctors said there was no evidence the germs had entered his bloodstream, a condition known as sepsis that they said would be the biggest concern. Sepsis is a complication of an infection that can lead to organ failure and death.
Francis was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14 after a case of bronchitis worsened.
The Vatican late Thursday reported a “slight improvement” in Francis’ overall clinical condition, with his heart working well.
“The night went well, this morning Pope Francis got up and had breakfast,” a bulletin added Friday.
Fox News’ Thomas Ferraro and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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