Pope Francis suffered two new acute breathing crises on Monday and has been put back on ventilation, Vatican said – showing the 88-year-old’s struggle with pneumonia is far from over.
The pontiff also underwent two lung scans and is suffering from congestion in his chest.
Since he entered hospital on 14 February with a complex lung infection, no photos or videos have been released of him, in what is now the longest absence of his 12-year papacy.
Francis had inhaled “copious” amounts of mucus in another setback in what has become a more than two-week battle to overcome a complex respiratory infection and pneumonia.
In a late update on Monday, the Vatican said the episodes were caused by a “significant accumulation” of mucus in his lungs and bronchial spasms.
“Two bronchoscopies were performed with the need for aspiration of copious secretions,” the Vatican said.
The pope remains alert and has spoken and co-operated with his doctors and nursing staff.
Earlier on Monday, Francis issued a new message from the hospital as Vatican officials begged him to let his voice be heard after disappearing from public view as he recovers.
He denounced the “progressive irrelevance” of international organisations to combat war as he remained at Rome’s Gemelli hospital.
A statement said that he was in a stable condition, was up, had breakfast and was receiving therapies after sleeping “well all night long”, the Vatican said.
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