VATICAN CITY. Pope Francis, 87, made a brief visit to a Roman hospital for medical checks on Wednesday following his ongoing battle with influenza, according to a statement from his office.
The pontiff underwent the checks at the Tiber Island hospital after his weekly general audience, the statement noted, although it did not elaborate on the specifics of the tests.
Sources within the medical field informed Reuters that Pope Francis had a CT scan during his visit. This procedure, which provides detailed internal images of a patient’s body, was previously conducted on the pontiff in November following a bout of influenza.
Television footage captured a Vatican-registered white Fiat, commonly used by Pope Francis, departing the medical facility located in the heart of Rome around midday (1100 GMT).
Earlier in the day, Pope Francis had delegated a reading at his Wednesday weekly audience to an aide, citing his ongoing illness. Addressing the faithful, he acknowledged, “Dear brothers and sisters, I still have a bit of a cold,” before proceeding with a shortened address on the topics of envy and vainglory.
Despite sounding hoarse and experiencing a cough during his speech, Pope Francis concluded the audience by extending greetings to attendees and issuing calls for peace, as is customary.
Pope Francis has faced several health challenges recently, including cancellations of appointments due to mild flu symptoms. Despite addressing crowds in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday to deliver his Angelus message, the pontiff had to cancel a planned trip to a COP28 climate meeting in Dubai in December due to influenza and lung inflammation.
Earlier in January, Pope Francis struggled with a touch of bronchitis during a speech, though he later reported feeling better despite lingering discomfort. Notably, as a young man in Argentina, he underwent surgery to remove part of a lung.
Additionally, the pontiff faces difficulties with walking and often utilizes a wheelchair or cane. On Wednesday, he arrived at his indoor audience in a wheelchair, underscoring his ongoing health concerns.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
