Pope returns to Vatican after undergoing medical checkup for flu

he FrancisThe 87-year-old was transferred to the Gemelli hospital in Rome at around 11:00 this morning after a public audience to undergo tests aimed at assessing the severity of the influenza that affected him on Saturday and Monday. schedule.

According to Italian media reports, Francesco went to the hospital headquarters in the central neighborhood of Trastevere. Preside over the audience held this Wednesday in the Paul VI Hall of the Vatican.

During the weekly meeting, the pope himself revealed to the faithful that he was “still a little bit cold” and wanted a collaborator to read the catechism for a general audience. “I still have a bit of a cold. That’s whyI already asked Monsignor (Filippo) Ciampanelli “Let him read the catechism,” the pope said, arriving in a wheelchair in Paul VI’s classroom where the audience was being held.

Francisco entered the same center twice last year. In March, he suffered complications from a respiratory infection; in June, he underwent surgery to treat an abdominal hernia that could be blocking his intestines.

At the end of November 2023, Francisco fell ill with bronchitis and had to cancel some planned events and avoid reading some speeches. In order to recover, the Pope ultimately did not travel to Dubai for the climate summit. He later fully recovered and even went to the Plaza de España on December 8 to participate in the traditional tribute to the Immaculate Conception.