ROME: Pope Francis has been hospitalised in Rome, Italy.

Pope Francis has been hospitalised to treat a respiratory infection.

Pope Francis will be in hospital for few days, the Vatican informed.

The 86-year-old had been suffering from breathing difficulties for the past few days.

The Vatican, in a statement, stated that Pope Francis would need “a few days of appropriate hospital medical therapy”.

“Pope Francis is touched by the many messages received and expresses his gratitude for the closeness and prayer,” the Vatican statement added.

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Pope Francis is being treated at the Gemelli hospital in rome, Italy.

Francis, who this month marked 10 years as pope, is sometimes short of breath and generally more exposed to respiratory problems.

Notably, Pope Francis had a part of one lung removed in his early 20s when training to be a priest in Argentina.

The Argentine pope’s latest hospitalisation has revived speculation over a possible resignation on health grounds, following the historic precedent of his late predecessor Benedict XVI.