Pope Francis in critical condition, suffered long asthmatic respiratory crisis: Vatican

Rome: The Vatican says Pope Francis is in a critical condition after he suffered a long asthmatic respiratory crisis on Saturday morning.

The 88-year-old, who has been hospitalised for a week with a complex lung infection, also received blood transfusions after tests showed a condition associated with anaemia, the Vatican said.

In a statement on Saturday (Sunday AEDT), the Vatican said: “Pope Francis is more unwell than yesterday”, adding that he had suffered a “prolonged asthma-like respiratory crisis” earlier in the day.

The pope, who is being treated in hospital for double pneumonia, was alert, the Vatican said, but added that the prognosis for him “remains guarded”.

Francis, who has chronic lung disease, was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on February 14 after a week-long bout of bronchitis worsened.

Doctors first diagnosed a complex viral, bacterial and fungal respiratory tract infection and then the onset of pneumonia in both lungs. They prescribed “absolute rest” and a combination of cortisone and antibiotics, along with supplemental oxygen when he needed it.

Dr Sergio Alfieri, the head of medicine and surgery at Gemelli Hospital, said the biggest threat facing Francis was from germs currently located in his respiratory system passing into the bloodstream, causing sepsis, which can lead to organ failure and death.

Meanwhile, the Vatican issued an unusual and official denial of an Italian media report that Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin and the pope’s chief canonist had visited Francis in hospital in secret amid rumours he might decide to resign.

And in a rare interview, Parolin told Corriere della Sera that such speculation was “useless” when what really mattered was Francis’ recovery, health, and return to the Vatican.