Vatican Reports Deteriorating Condition of Pope Francis

On Saturday, March 4, the Vatican announced that the health condition of Pope Francis, the leader of the world's Catholics, has worsened over the past 24 hours. He is suffering from a "chronic asthma-like respiratory crisis" and requires a blood transfusion. The Vatican's statement says: "The Holy Father remains alert and spent his day sitting in a chair, although he is feeling worse than yesterday. His condition is being monitored." Pope Francis was hospitalized at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome on February 14 after several days of respiratory issues. Doctors have diagnosed him with double pneumonia. The latest Vatican announcement states that doctors have had to provide him with supplemental oxygen due to his respiratory crisis. It adds that a blood transfusion is necessary for Pope Francis as his platelet count has dropped. The Vatican further stated: "The Holy Father's condition remains serious. The Pope has not yet escaped danger." Just hours earlier, the Vatican had announced that the Pope would not appear in public for the second consecutive week to hold prayer services with pilgrims. Double pneumonia is a dangerous infectious disease that can inflame both lungs and make breathing difficult. The Vatican has described the Pope's infectious disease condition as "complex," stating that it is caused by several microorganisms. Pope Francis, 88, has been the leader of the world's Catholics since 2013. In the past two years, he has been ill several times in addition to suffering from influenza. In his youth, he suffered from pleurisy, which led doctors to remove part of one of his lungs. In recent years, he has been very vulnerable to lung infections. The leader of the Catholics underwent surgery twice last June, during which part of his large intestine was removed.