‘PROGNOSIS REMAINS GUARDED’

Pope Francis Suffers New Respiratory Failure and Is Placed on Ventilator

The Vatican said the episodes were caused by accumulation of mucus in the Pope’s lungs.

Pope Francis has suffered two new acute respiratory crises and was placed back on a noninvasive ventilator on Monday. The latest episodes were caused by “significant accumulation” of mucus in the 88-year-old pontiff’s lungs, which lead to a narrowing of his airways. The Associated Press reported that doctors extracted “copious” amounts of mucus from his lungs during two bronchoscopies, with the Vatican attributing the build-up of mucus to the body’s reaction to the original pneumonia infection that the Pope has been battling for two weeks. He is now back on noninvasive mechanical ventilation, and the Vatican said that “The Holy Father has remained consistently alert, oriented, and cooperative.” Pope Francis, who suffers from chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed in his youth, was admitted to hospital on Feb. 14 with bronchitis that developed into complex pneumonia in both lungs. The Vatican said the prognosis remains guarded following the latest crisis.