What we know about the health of Pope Francis

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis, 88, has been in hospital in Rome since February 14, suffering two respiratory crises but reported by the Vatican on Sunday evening to be in a "stable" condition.

Here is what we know about the health of the Argentine pontiff, head of the Catholic Church and its almost 1.4 billion followers since 2013.

- Stable but complex condition -

Francis was admitted to the Gemelli hospital initially for bronchitis, but this then developed into pneumonia in both lungs.

On February 22 the Vatican revealed he had suffered a "prolonged asthmatic attack" which required him to receive "high-flow" oxygen via a nasal cannula.

Francis also required blood transfusions for thrombocytopenia, a condition that occurs when the platelet count in the blood is too low, which can prevent clotting and lead to continued bleeding.

Over the following days, the Vatican reported an incrementally more positive picture, but there was another major issue on February 28.

The pope suffered "an isolated crisis of bronchospasm" , a tightening of the muscles that line the airways in the lungs, which caused "an episode of vomiting with inhalation", the Holy See said.

He began "non-invasive mechanical ventilation", receiving oxygen through a mask, according to a Vatican source,  and was nevertheless reported to be "in good spirits".

On March 2, a Vatican source revealed that more than 48 hours after the crisis, it appeared there had been "no further consequences" from the episode.

The pope's condition "remained stable", the Holy See said in its official update that day, saying he had no fever and had on Sunday morning participated in mass.

However, "in view of the complexity of the clinical picture, the prognosis remains reserved".

 Work continues 

The pope has been staying in a special papal suite on the 10th floor of the Gemelli hospital, praying and performing some work, according to a Vatican source.

He has been reading and signing documents, notably appointments of bishops around the world, as well as making telephone calls.

Francis has twice received Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state, and Edgar Pena Parra, a Venezuelan archbishop who is Parolin's numbers two.

But he has not yet been seen in public, notably missing his Sunday Angelus prayers, which in previous hospital stays he delivered from the Gemelli balcony.

Instead, the Vatican has published his written texts each week.