VATICAN CITY (RNS) – In a statement from the Vatican, doctors at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome where Pope Francis is being treated for pneumonia and bronchitis say the pontiff suffered a respiratory crisis Saturday (Feb. 22), requiring an intervention to support his breathing.
“The conditions of the Holy Father continue to be critical,” the statement read, adding that the pope had a “prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis” that necessitated the application of high-flow oxygen.
Francis was also given blood transfusions, according to the Vatican statement, after blood tests revealed he was suffering from thrombocytopenia, meaning the platelet count in his blood was too low, a condition the doctors said is associated with anemia. Infections and medical treatment may lower platelet count.
Despite the concerns, the statement said that Francis was still alert and out of bed. “The Holy Father continues to be vigilant and spent the day in his armchair even if he was more in pain than yesterday,” the statement said. “At the moment the prognosis is guarded.”
Francis admitted himself to the hospital Feb. 14 after struggling with bronchitis and experiencing difficulty breathing for the previous 10 days. At the time he was admitted, his doctors said he was suffering from a polymicrobial infection that ca …