Pope
Francis is no longer using mechanical ventilation to help his breathing at
night and his doctors believe he will continue to improve, the Vatican said in
a statement.
Francis
has been in Rome's Gemelli Hospital for nearly five weeks for a severe
respiratory infection that has required evolving treatment.
"The
clinical conditions of the Holy Father are confirmed to be improving,"
said the latest detailed medical update on his condition.
The
pope had been using non-invasive mechanical ventilation overnight during his
hospital stay, which involved placing a mask over the face to help push air
into the lungs.
Such
ventilation had been "suspended", the statement said. But it said the
pope is still receiving oxygen via a small hose under his nose.
The
pope's doctors believe his infection is under control, the Vatican press office
said shortly after the release of the latest statement. The pope does not have
a fever and his blood tests are normal, it said.
The
pope has been described as being in a stable or improving condition for two
weeks, but the Vatican has not yet given a time frame for his discharge, saying
his recovery is going slowly.
Francis
is prone to lung infections because he had pleurisy as a young adult and had
part of one lung removed.
He
has been receiving both respiratory physiotherapy to help with his breathing
and physical therapy to help with his mobility. He has used a wheelchair in
recent years due to knee and back pain.
Doctors
not involved in Francis' care said the pope is likely to face a long,
fraught road to recovery, given his age and other medical conditions.
The
pope's stay in hospital has been his longest absence from the public view since
his election as pontiff in 2013.
The
Vatican released the first image of Francis in hospital on Sunday,
showing him praying in a chapel.
