Pope Francis has been placed back on a ventilator after experiencing two episodes of acute respiratory distress, the Vatican announced today.
The 88-year-old Pontiff’s condition worsened despite reports that he had “rested well” over the weekend following a coughing fit on Friday evening.
According to the Vatican, Francis suffered from “a significant accumulation of mucus in his lungs” and bronchial spasms, leading to respiratory insufficiency.
“Today, the Holy Father experienced two episodes of acute respiratory insufficiency due to a significant buildup of endobronchial mucus and consequent bronchospasm,” the Vatican’s statement read.
Doctors performed two bronchoscopies to clear “large secretions,” and in the afternoon, non-invasive mechanical ventilation was resumed. Despite the complications, the Pope remained “alert, oriented, and cooperative.”
The Vatican added that “the prognosis remains guarded.”
This latest health setback comes as Pope Francis marks his 17th day at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, battling pneumonia in both lungs.
Earlier today, despite his condition, the Pope issued a message addressing what he called a “planetary crisis” in a letter to the general assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life.
His longtime friend, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, had earlier urged him to make his voice heard amid his ongoing health struggles.
“We need men like him, who are truly universal and not one-sided,” Paglia said following a Vatican press conference on the launch of a new bioethics academy.
