According to a source from the Vatican, Pope Francis is positively responding to treatment for the first time since his hospitalisation over three weeks ago.
This positive sign of his treatment comes after a statement from the Vatican press office on Saturday that stated that Pope Francis was showing a good response to therapy and a gradual sight improvement since his episodes of acute respiratory failure on Monday.
The Vatican source said that this improvement was due to the “gas exchange” in the lungs and the oxygenation of the blood. However, the risk of another breathing crisis remains and the prognosis is still reserved, the source emphasized.
The Vatican press office said that Pope Francis’ conditions continue to fluctuate between high flow oxygen therapy during the day and non-invasive ventilation at night, he added that on Saturday morning, Pope Francis prayed inside a chapel and in the afternoon he rested before engaging in work activities and on Sunday, Pop Francis took part in mass at the chapel on the 10th floor of Rome’s Gemelli hospital, then took part via video feed in the “spiritual exercises” taking place at the Vatican for Lent, the Holy See. He remained connected to the video feed for the duration of the meditation and was able to see members of the Curia Vatican bureaucrats but did not communicate with them.
According to the press source, the pope’s medical condition remains the same as on Saturday, with the 88-year-old pontiff experiencing stability and slight improvement but still having a complex overall picture.
On Thursday, Pope Francis released a pre recorded audio message thanking his supporters for their prayers. Meanwhile, his extended stay in the hospital continues to breed uncertainty in the Vatican.
