Pope Francis Hospitalized With Bronchitis

"This morning, after the audiences, Pope Francis was admitted to the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic to undergo necessary diagnostic tests and to continue his treatment for bronchitis in a hospital setting." So said Matteo Bruni, the director of the press office, who declined to comment further on the matter.

However, the Pope had honored an appointment with Robert Fico, the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, whom he received in the St. Martha’s House.

As a result, Francis had been replaced for appointments such as the Jubilee audience scheduled for Saturday February 15, and the Jubilee Mass for Artists scheduled for Sunday, February 16, while the visit to the Cicnecittà film studios on February 17 had been officially cancelled. Nothing had been communicated on the possible length of the Sovereign Pontiff's stay in hospital.

However, a medical bulletin did give news of the Pope in the evening: "The Holy Father, due to the worsening of his bronchitis in recent days, has undergone specialist examinations and has begun hospital medicinal treatment. The first tests carried out reveal a respiratory tract infection. His clinical condition is acceptable. He has a slight fever.”

However, the latest health bulletins do not show a clear improvement. On Saturday morning, it was reported that the fever had not increased, which is a way of saying that it had not decreased. In the afternoon, an “improvement of certain values” was reported, accompanied by the prescription of absolute rest, as well as a “slight” modification of the therapy.