Pope Francis to remain in hospital as he faces 'complex' health issues

Pope Francis' infection is presenting a 'complex clinical picture' that will require further hospitalisation.

The pope was admitted to Gemelli hospital in Rome on Friday after a week-long bout of bronchitis worsened, and the Vatican has said he will remain in clinical care as concerns grow about the 88-year-old's health.

Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni says the results of tests completed in recent days indicate that Francis is suffering from a "polymicrobial respiratory tract infection".

The condition is presenting a "complex clinical picture", Mr Bruni says, and has necessitated a further change in his drug therapy.

He has already been in hospital for longer than his 2023 stint for pneumonia treatment, and Bruni describes the nature of symptoms as requiring "an appropriate hospital stay".

The pope insisted on finishing his appointments before being rushed to hospital last week (Image: Getty)

Doctors confirmed that Francis was in a "fair" condition on Friday after he was diagnosed with a respiratory tract infection.

He was prescribed "absolute rest" alongside unspecified drug therapies, and subsequent updates have described his condition as "stable".

A slight fever has also abated and the 88-year-old ate breakfast and read the newspapers on Monday morning, according to reports.

The Argentinian pope, who underwent surgery to have one lung removed after a pulmonary infection in his youth, is known for being a workaholic who has not decreased his work load amid his increasingly precarious health.

After being diagnosed with pneumonia in 2023, he left hospital after just three days and only later acknowledged that he had been admitted urgently after suffering from sharp pain in his chest.

This time, Francis insisted on finishing his morning audiences on Friday before leaving the Vatican despite struggling to speak due to a shortness of breath.

He has cancelled planned appointments on Monday, including a trip to Rome's Cinecitta film studios to mark part of the Catholic Church's Holy Year celebrations.