Pope Francis has pneumonia in both lungs, Vatican says

Pope Francis has the onset of double pneumonia, the Vatican said on Tuesday, complicating treatment for the 88-year pontiff and indicating a further deterioration in his fragile health.

Francis has been suffering from a respiratory infection for more than a week and was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on February 14.

The Vatican said in a statement that the pope had undergone a chest CAT scan on Tuesday afternoon which had revealed “the onset of bilateral pneumonia that requires further pharmacological therapy”.

Bilateral pneumonia is a serious infection that can inflame and scar both lungs, and makes breathing more difficult.

“Laboratory tests, chest X-ray, and the clinical condition of the Holy Father continue to present a complex picture,” the Vatican said.

It reiterated that the pope was suffering from a “polymicrobial infection”, saying this required corticosteroid and antibiotic therapy, which was “making treatment more challenging”.

“Nevertheless, Pope Francis remains in good spirits,” the Vatican statement added.