Pope Francis, hospitalised for bronchitis four days ago, faces a “complex clinical picture” that will require the 88-year-old to stay longer than originally expected, the Vatican said on Monday.
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After initially cancelling events on Monday, the Vatican said the pope’s weekly Wednesday audience would not go ahead either.
“The results of the tests carried out in recent days and today have demonstrated a polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract that has led to a further change in treatment,” it said in a statement.
“All the tests carried out until now are indicative of a complex clinical picture that will require adequate hospitalisation.”
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni had earlier told reporters that the pope was in “good humour”, had rested well overnight, had eaten breakfast and read the newspapers.
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A source in the pope’s entourage had also insisted there was no alarm within the Vatican following his Friday admission to Rome’s Gemelli hospital.