Pope Francis Battling With Double Pneumonia: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment Of Lung Infection

Last Updated:February 23, 2025, 13:45 IST

Pope Francis remains in critical condition with double pneumonia, requiring high-flow oxygen and blood transfusions at Rome's Gemelli hospital. Here's all you should know about the disease.

A candle with a portrait of Pope Francis is seen in front of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in Rome (Photo: PTI)

Pope Francis’s condition “continues to be critical", the Vatican said Saturday, adding that the 88-year-old was alert but had suffered a respiratory attack that required “high-flow oxygen", and also blood transfusions.

“At the moment the prognosis is reserved," it said, as the head of the Catholic Church prepared to spend his ninth night in Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where he was diagnosed this week with double pneumonia.

A group of nuns and priests from around the world gathered Saturday outside the entrance to the Gemelli hospital, where Francis is staying in a special papal suite on the 10th floor, to pray for him.

WHAT IS DOUBLE PNEUMONIA

The pope has bilateral pneumonia, known informally as double pneumonia, which means both lungs are affected.

Pneumonia is inflammation of the lungs, usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection.

When a person has pneumonia, small sacs in the lungs called alveoli are filled with pus and fluid, which makes breathing painful and restricts oxygen intake.

SYMPTOMS OF DOUBLE PNEUMONIA

The symptoms are not necessarily more severe because both lungs are infected. Double pneumonia does not mean double seriousness. You can have a mild infection in both lungs or a serious infection in both lungs.

Symptoms can vary, depending on your age, general health, and the type of infection you have.

Some of the symptoms include:

Symptoms generally seen in those above 65 years of age include

IS PNEUMONIA COMMON?

Pneumonia is common. Alongside other lower respiratory tract infections, the World Health Organisation says it is one of the leading causes of death worldwide.

For example, in the United States, around one million older adults are hospitalised with pneumonia annually, and around 50,000 die, according to the American Thoracic Society.

Globally, it kills 700,000 children under the age of 5 annually, the WHO estimates.

HOW SERIOUS IS IT?

Many people recover from pneumonia in a few weeks, but a number of factors can make it more dangerous. It is often more risky for babies and adults over 65, as well as those with cardiovascular disease or pre-existing lung conditions.

The pope is especially prone to lung infections because as a young adult, he had pleurisy and part of one lung removed.

He developed pneumonia after being hospitalised last week for a respiratory infection on top of two other airway conditions, bronchiectasis and asthmatic bronchitis, a Vatican statement said on Tuesday.

Bilateral pneumonia is more serious because it affects both lungs, meaning the patient has less healthy lung capacity remaining to breathe with, doctors said.

CAN PNEUMONIA BE TREATED?

Pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics to tackle the bacterial cause of the infection or anti-viral drugs can help fight a viral infection.

In the hospital, people often get fluids and oxygen too.

The Vatican described the pope’s initial respiratory infection as “polymicrobial", which means it is caused by a combination of pathogens. That made it more complex to treat, and he was receiving antibiotics and corticosteroids.

He is now also getting “additional pharmacological treatment" for the pneumonia, the Vatican said.

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