Pope Francis Fights Lung Trouble in Hospital
Pope Rests After Tough Night
Pope Francis, very sick with a bad lung infection, slept well last night after breathing problems and blood transfusions, the Vatican said on Sunday. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni gave a short update: “The night was calm, and the pope rested.” He didn’t tell if the pope was awake or eating breakfast. Doctors said the 88-year-old pope Francis, who had part of one lung removed when young, is in serious danger. On Saturday morning, he had a long asthma attack while being treated for pneumonia and a tricky lung infection.
Breathing Help and Blood Trouble
The Pope Francis got lots of oxygen to breathe easier and blood transfusions because his platelet count was low, the Vatican shared late Saturday. Platelets help blood clot and stop bleeding. That day, he stayed awake and sat in an armchair, but he had more pain than the day before. Doctors said his health could go either way because he’s old, weak, and has lung problems. They warned that sepsis, a risky blood infection from pneumonia, could be the biggest danger. On Friday, there was no sepsis, and the pope was responding to his medicines, his medical team said.
Why Pope Francis’s Platelets Dropped
Saturday’s tests showed his platelets were low, a condition called thrombocytopenia. This can happen from medicines or infections, says the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Platelets are tiny bits in blood that heal wounds and stop bleeding. Francis, who gets bronchitis in winter due to his lung issues, went to Gemelli hospital on February 14 after a week of worsening bronchitis. Doctors found a mix of viral, bacterial, and fungal infections in his breathing, then pneumonia in both lungs. They gave him complete rest, cortisone, antibiotics, and oxygen when he needed it.
Vatican Stops Resignation Rumours
While this happened, Vatican leaders worked to stop talk that Pope Francis might quit. Church law doesn’t say what to do if a pope can’t work. Francis has a resignation letter ready if his health stops him from deciding, but he’s still awake, eating, and working. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s second-in-command, spoke to Corriere della Sera to calm things. This came after the Vatican denied an Italian news report saying Parolin and a church law expert secretly visited the pope, hinting at resignation talks. Parolin called such rumours useless—what matters is the pope’s recovery. Also: Trump Dismisses USAID Concerns with ‘Kickback Scheme… Why Should I Care?’ as BJP Criticizes Congress.
Parolin Says Focus on Health
“It’s normal for rumours to fly in times like this, or for someone to say something off,” Parolin said. “But I don’t see any big movement, and I haven’t heard anything like that yet.” He said people should care about Francis getting better and returning to the Vatican, not waste time on gossip. The Vatican wants everyone to focus on the pope’s health, not on what might happen next.
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