Pope Francis, battling double pneumonia, not out of danger: Doctors

Pope Francis who marked his first week in the hospital battling pneumonia in both lungs along with other infections is still not out of danger, his doctors said on Friday. They, however, added that his condition is not life-threatening.

The 88-year-old pontiff was admitted to Rome’s Gamelli hospital on February 14 after he reported breathing issues.

“To the question ‘is the pope out of danger?’ No, the pope is not out of danger. If you then ask if in this moment the pope is in a life-threatening situation, the answer is also no," Dr Sergio Alfieri on the medical staff at Gamelli was quoted by the Associated Press.

Alfieri, along with Francis’s personal physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone, gave the first in-person update on the pope’s condition. They said he will have to remain at the hospital at least through next week.

Alfieri claimed that the pope remains in good spirits and humour. “Just now he went from his room to the chapel to pray for 20 minutes. This is the situation. He is the pope, but he is also a man.”

Doctors have advised “absolute rest” after the pontiff was diagnosed with the complex respiratory infection and the onset of pneumonia in both lungs on top of chronic bronchitis.

>> What is double pneumonia?

According to the medical team, there was no evidence that the germs had entered his bloodstream—a condition called sepsis which could even be life-threatening.

However, the pope’s drug therapy has been “strengthened” after pneumonia was diagnosed earlier this week.

As Francis remains in the hospital, speculations have been rife on whether he might resign to pave the way for the next pope. Pope Benedict XVI had already set the precedence of pfores retito retiret Francis recently asserted that the job of a pope is for life.