Pope recording gradual improvements, ventilation reduced

(ANSA) - ROME, MAR 15 - Pope Francis's clinical conditions have remained stable, confirming the progress highlighted over the past week as he battles pneumonia in a Rome hospital, a medical bulletin said on Saturday evening.
    The pontiff is continuing high-flow oxygen therapy, progressively reducing the need for non-invasive mechanical ventilation at night, the bulletin explained.
    The Pope still requires medical therapy in hospital, motor and respiratory physiotherapy; such therapies, at the moment, have led to further, gradual improvements, the medical bulletin also said.
    Vatican sources have said that the pontiff's recovery from double pneumonia in Gemelli Hospital, also considering his age, is slow so medical updates will likely be less frequent after the bulletin issued on Saturday evening, considering the 88-year-old Argentine pontiff's stability.
    The sources underlined that the Pontiff needs time to recover.
    Francis has been in hospital since February 14. (ANSA).