Pope Francis – According to a statement released by the Vatican on Wednesday, Pope Francis is suffering from a respiratory infection and will be required to spend “a few days” in the hospital for treatment. According to the statement, the 86-year-old pontiff has been complaining of difficulty breathing during the past few days. In addition, the results of the tests demonstrated that he did not have Covid-19.

According to the statement released by the Vatican, “Pope Francis is affected by the many messages received and expresses his gratitude for the closeness and prayer.” The statement was released a few hours after Francis had been taken to the hospital for tests against his will. The Vatican first stated that the check-up had been planned, but Italian media cast doubt on that assertion by reporting that a television interview with the Pope that was due to take place on Wednesday afternoon had been abruptly postponed.

The Pope had been seen earlier in the day, earlier in the day, appearing to be in excellent health while attending his weekly general audience at the Vatican. As a result of having part of one lung removed when he was in his early 20s as part of his preparation to become a priest in his native Argentina, Francis experiences occasional shortness of breath and is usually more susceptible to respiratory issues.

His most recent hospitalization takes place just before a service on Palm Sunday, which takes place on April 2, and marks the beginning of a busy week of ceremonies leading up to Easter Sunday, which takes place on April 9, calling into question whether or not he will be able to lead them as he has in the past.

Due to the fact that Pope Francis suffers from diverticulitis, a disorder that can infect or inflame the colon, he underwent surgery in 2021 at the Gemelli hospital to have a portion of his colon removed. In January, he stated that the condition had resurfaced and that it was causing him to put on weight; nonetheless, he did not seem very concerned about either of these issues. He did not elaborate.

Aside from that, he has issues with his knee, which is why he uses a cane or a wheelchair depending on the occasion when he makes public appearances.

In an interview with Reuters from the previous year, Francis stated that he preferred not to have surgery on his knee because he did not want a repeat of the long-term negative side effects from anesthesia that he suffered after the 2021 operation. Francis said that he suffered from these side effects because of the anesthesia.

Francis admitted in July of last year, after returning from a trip to Canada, that his advanced age and the difficulties he was having walking might have signaled the beginning of a new, more sedate period of his papacy.

But, since that time, he has traveled to Kazakhstan and Bahrain. Also, he traveled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan just a month ago.

Francis, who has been as Pope since 2013, stated earlier this year that he does not want to step down from his position anytime soon, and that if he ever did, it would be for significant health reasons, such as if he were terminally disabled. Francis has been the Pope since 2013.