Gavin Grey: Europe Correspondent gives an update on the health of Pope Francis

New medical tests have shown further complications in the condition of Pope Francis. 

They reveal the 88-year-old pontiff has developed bilateral pneumonia. 

The Vatican says laboratory tests, chest X-ray, and the Holy Father's clinical condition continue to present a complex picture. 

Europe Correspondent Gavin Grey told Andrew Dickens that he’s being described as in stable condition and doesn’t have a fever, but nevertheless, his state is worrying.  

Nevertheless, the pope is in good spirits and is grateful for the prayers for his recovery. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Devin Gray out of the UK. Good morning Devin either
Andrew Pope Brownsis not well. Five days now in hospital.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
Yeah, and just been announced that every engagement right through
until the weekend, including the weekend, has been canceled. The
eighty eight year old was admitted into Rome's Jamelli Hospital
on Friday to undergo treatment and tests for bronchitis. We're
now being told he's got a polymicrobial infection of his
respiratory tract and what that basically means is he's had

(00:30):
to now have a change in the treatment that he
was originally prescribed. He's described as in a stable condition.
He does not have a fever, but nevertheless, this course
is very worrying. He has a history of illness, particularly
to do with his lungs, including just at the age
of twenty one he actually had part of one of
his lungs removed, having suffered from health issues for many years,

(00:55):
and in March of twenty twenty three he spent three
nights in hospital with bronchitis, and in June that year
underwent a three hour operation to repair an abdominal hernia.
So I'm afraid some bad news. Plenty of well wishers
though at Saint Peter's Basilica. Plenty of weld wishes throughout
the Vatican. But yeah, pretty worrying days for the Pope.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
Very unfortunate timing because this is the Holy Year, the anniversary,
the big old celebrations, and he's missing out and he
will be missed. And finally, your textpayer's money has been
spent on researchers figuring out what a mummy smells like.
And when I say mummy, I mean an Egyptian mummy.

Speaker 2 (01:33):
Yes, fascinating this Apparently when you open up one of
these mummies, even five thousand years on, they actually smelled
quite nice, I believe it or not a pleasant smell
according to scientists, and that is due to the use
of resins and oils like pine cedar and juniper. So
this was a team from University College London looking at

(01:55):
basically collaborating and conservators and curators at the Egyptian Museum
in I wrote they had a look at nine mummified
bodies and the smell has always been something that has
fascinated research because as I mentioned, it's actually not unpleasant.
It is not the smell of decay, and smell is
a very key consideration for ancient Egyptians, it would appear,

(02:18):
particularly when it came to the mummification process. Even though
five thousand years on, of course things have changed, but
it was said that the smells that and the oils
that we used are really, really rather pleasant. This seems
to be a bizarre thing to investigate and research, but
nevertheless really interesting that something all those years on can

(02:39):
actually smell quite good.

Speaker 1 (02:41):
For more from earlier edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live
to news Talks.

Speaker 2 (02:44):
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