Pope Francis taken to hospital with respiratory infection
Written by ABC Audio All Rights Reserved on March 29, 2023
(ROME) — Pope Francis has been diagnosed with a respiratory infection, according to the Vatican Press Office.
He was taken to the Gemelli University Hospital in Rome, where he will be required to stay for several days to receive “appropriate medical treatment,” the press office said.
“In recent days, Pope Francis complained of some respiratory difficulties and this afternoon he went to [Policlinico A.] the Gemelli [hospital] for some medical checks,” the statement read. “The outcome of these showed a respiratory infection (excluding Covid 19 infection) that will require several days of appropriate hospital medical treatment.”
It is unknown what type of respiratory infection the pope has or what type of care he will need.
This marks the first time Pope Francis has gone to the hospital since he underwent surgery to have part of his colon removed in July 2021.
President Joe Biden mentioned the pope during remarks at an event Wednesday celebrating Greek Independence Day.
“The pope is ill now, so say an extra prayer for him,” said Biden, who in 2021 became the first Roman Catholic U.S. leader in more than half a century to meet at the Vatican with the head of the Catholic Church.
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