Vatican makes new statement on Pope's health

The Vatican made a written statement regarding the health condition of the 88-year-old Pope, who has been hospitalized in Gemelli Hospital in Rome for 11 days due to severe bronchitis that he had at the beginning of the month and was diagnosed with double-sided pneumonia there.

The statement included the following information:

"Although the Pope's health condition is critical, a slight improvement is observed. Today, there were no asthma-like respiratory attacks and some laboratory tests showed improvement. The follow-up of mild renal failure is not a cause for concern. Although he continues to receive oxygen support, the oxygen flow rate and percentage have been slightly reduced. Doctors are cautiously not making a definitive prognosis yet, considering the complexity of the clinical picture."

The Vatican's statement said the Pope resumed his work activities in the afternoon and met with a priest of a church in Gaza in the evening, as he does on an ordinary day.

In the Vatican statement made in the morning, it was noted that the Pope had spent the night calmly, that his treatments were continuing in the morning, that he was in no pain and in a good mood.

On the other hand, the cardinals residing in Rome will gather this evening in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican, under the leadership of the Vatican Secretary of State (Prime Minister) Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to pray for the health of the Pope.