According to a statement from the Vatican, Pope Francis is reportedly showing signs of improvement as he undergoes high-flow oxygen therapy and therapy with a ventimask.
“Given the complexity of his condition, further days of clinical stability are necessary to resolve the prognosis,” the Vatican’s statement read.
Balloons are attached at the statue of John Paul II where people come to pray outside the Gemelli hospital where Pope Francis is hospitalized for pneumonia, in Rome on Feb. 23, 2025. (ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)
Recently, the Vatican provided an update stating that Pope Francis’ doctors have observed a decline in the previously diagnosed kidney insufficiency, noted some improvement in blood test results, and confirmed through a chest CT scan that his complex lung infection is following the expected course of treatment.
When writing about the pope’s condition on Tuesday, Fox News Channel’s senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel explained that bilateral pneumonia “is more problematic and more difficult to recover from,” especially for “an elderly patient with scarring from previous surgeries and bouts of pneumonia.”
Pope Francis waves from his popemobile after the weekly Angelus prayers, at the Saint Peter’s Square in the Vatican on Oct. 20, 2024. (Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty)
The pope has grappled with health issues for years and even needed to have part of his lung removed in 1957.
Dr. Siegel also touched on the pope receiving high-flow oxygen therapy, explaining that the treatment is used for breathing issues, “but is not as aggressive as CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) or mechanical ventilation.” He noted that it is a “good sign” that the pope is not on a ventilator.
“Don’t underestimate the impact of great medical care combined with the power of prayer,” Dr. Siegel adds.
Fox News’ Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
