the pontiff’s state of health “is gradually improving”, announces the Vatican

The state of health of Pope Francis, 86 years old and hospitalized since Wednesday, in Rome, for a respiratory infection, “gradually improving”the Vatican announced Thursday, March 30. “The planned treatments are continuing. This morning after breakfast, he read some newspapers and went back to work”the Holy See said in a statement.

Pope Francis suffers from a respiratory infection that is not Covid-19, according to the Vatican. The Holy See had first invoked “scheduled exams”. “In recent days, Pope Francis has had difficulty breathing and this afternoon he was admitted to the A. Gemelli Polyclinic for medical checks”recognized in the evening the spokesman of the Vatican.

This sudden hospitalization took the world by surprise, despite the chronic health problems of the pontiff, who uses a wheelchair due to knee pain. According to hospital sources quoted by the Italian agency Ansa, the Pope should be able to preside over Palm Sunday Mass.