POPE Francis has a respiratory infection and will need to be kept in hospital for “a few days”, the Vatican said tonight.
The Vatican said the 86-year-old was admitted to hospital on Wednesday after complaining of breathing difficulties.
APPope Francis helped to get to his car on Wednesday morning after his weekly audience[/caption]
According to Italian media reports, Francis was rushed to hospital by ambulance after his weekly audience.
A Vatican source said his appointments for Thursday have been cancelled.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said Francis does not have Covid.
But he said the Pope had been struggling with breathing difficulties in recent days and was taken to the Gemelli hospital for tests.
His admission to hospital comes just days before Easter, traditionally one of the busiest times for the Pope.
Earlier this year, Francis bid farewell to his predecessor Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who died aged 95.
Francis, who arrived in a wheelchair and stood using a stick, paid tribute to the “wisdom, tenderness and devotion that he bestowed upon us over the years”.
In 2021, Francis underwent a serious operation to his colon.
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