Pope Francis is no longer at immediate risk and is responding well to hospital treatment, the Vatican said in signs of progress as the 88-year-old Pope continues to recover from double pneumonia.
Francis has been at Gemeri Hospital in Rome for over three weeks. He was noted on February 14th with a severe respiratory infection requiring evolving treatment.
The Vatican said in its latest medical updates, the Pope’s doctors have decided to lift their previous “protected” prognosis.
“The improvements recorded the day before are further integrated, as confirmed by his good response to drug treatment, as confirmed by both blood tests and clinical evaluations.”
Although doctors have lifted their previous prognosis, the Vatican said they still hope that Francis will “continue medical medication treatment in the hospital setting for several more days.”
He was not given an exact time slot for his discharge.
The Pope is said to have been in a stable or improved state for the past week following the two crises of “acute respiratory failure” on March 3.
The Vatican said Monday that Francis is continuing his treatment and is undergoing respiratory physiotherapy to help him breathe.
In recent years, the Pope, who has been using a wheelchair due to knee and lower back pain, also said he has continued to do some physical therapy to help with mobility.
The Pope receives oxygen in hospitals, using small hoses under his nose during the day and non-invasive mechanical ventilation during sleep at night.
The Pope has experienced several illness health over the past two years, and is prone to pulmonary infections as a young adult, as he was immersed in the pleura and part of one lung had been removed.
Double pneumonia is a serious infection that can inflam and scar both lungs, making breathing difficult.
Francis, who celebrates the 12th anniversary of the 2013 election as Pope on Thursday, has not been seen publicly since entering the hospital.
A doctor not involved in Francis’ care said the Pope is likely to face a long and difficult path to recovery given his age and other medical conditions.
Known to work on his own in fatigue, the Pope continues to work from the hospital.
On Sunday, the Pope held his third meeting with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s second-ranked official, and Parolin’s aide, during his recovery at the hospital.
The Vatican said the Pope is watching the annual week of spiritual retreat livestream, attended by many Vatican officials as part of the preparations for Easter in April.
