Pope Francis Suffers Respiratory Crises

Pope Francis, 88, suffered two new acute respiratory crises and was placed back on noninvasive mechanical ventilation due to a significant accumulation of mucus and bronchial spasms. This is a setback in his over two-week battle with pneumonia, which began with a complex lung infection on February 14. Doctors performed bronchoscopies to extract copious amounts of mucus. Pope Francis remains alert and cooperative, though his prognosis is guarded. The Vatican City — Vatican City has defended his decision to recover privately, but close associates like Vincenzo Paglia and Georg Gänswein have urged him to speak publicly, emphasizing the importance of his voice on global issues like peace. Pope Francis also wrote a message from Gemelli University Hospital, dated February 26, lamenting the ineffectiveness of international organizations.