VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican says Pope Francis will be hospitalized for several days for treatment of a pulmonary infection after experiencing difficulty breathing in recent days.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni says Francis, 86, does not have COVID-19, but requires several days of therapy.
He said Wednesday that Francis had been suffering some breathing trouble in recent days and went to the Gemelli hospital for tests.
“The tests showed a respiratory infection (COVID-19 infection excluded) that will require some days of medical therapy,” Bruni’s statement said.
The pope’s audiences through Friday were canceled, raising questions about Francis’s participation during the Vatican’s Holy Week activities starting Sunday.
Francis appeared in relatively good form during his regularly scheduled general audience on Wednesday, though he grimaced strongly while getting into and out of the “popemobile.”
The future pope, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, had part of one lung removed decades ago after contracting an infection.
MarketWatch contributed.
