Pope Francis was in critical condition Saturday after he suffered a prolonged asthmatic respiratory crisis while being treated for pneumonia and a complex lung infection, the Vatican said.Related video above: Vatican: Unique history of hospital treating Pope FrancisThe 88-year-old pope, who remains conscious, received 맥스카지노�high flows맥스카지노� of oxygen to help him breathe. He also received blood transfusions after tests showed low counts of platelets, which are needed for clotting, the Vatican said in a late update.맥스카지노�The Holy Father맥스카지노�s condition continues to be critical, therefore, as explained yesterday (Friday), the pope is not out of danger,맥스카지노� the statement said. It was the first time 맥스카지노�critical맥스카지노� had been used in a written statement to describe Francis' condition since he was hospitalized Feb. 14.The statement also said that the pontiff 맥스카지노�continues to be alert and spent the day in an armchair although in more pain than yesterday." Doctors declined to offer a prognosis, saying it was 맥스카지노�reserved.맥스카지노�Doctors have said Francis' condition is touch-and-go, given his age, fragility and preexisting lung disease.Doctors warn of the possible onset of sepsisThey have warned that the main threat facing Francis would be the onset of sepsis, a serious infection of the blood that can occur as a complication of pneumonia. As of Friday, there was no evidence of any sepsis, and Francis was responding to the various drugs he was taking, the pope맥스카지노�s medical team said in its first in-depth update on the pope맥스카지노�s condition.Saturday's blood tests showed that he had developed a low platelet count, a condition called platelopenia or thrombocytopenia. Platelets are cell-like fragments that circulate in the blood and help form blood clots to stop bleeding or help wounds heal. Low platelet counts can be caused by a number of things, including side effects from medicines or infections, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.Francis, who has chronic lung disease and is prone to bronchitis in winter, was admitted to Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14 after a weeklong bout of bronchitis worsened.Doctors first diagnosed the complex viral, bacterial and fungal respiratory tract infection and then the onset of pneumonia in both lungs. They prescribed 맥스카지노�absolute rest맥스카지노� and a combination of cortisone and antibiotics, along with supplemental oxygen when he needs it. Saturday's update marked the first time the Vatican has referred to Francis suffering an 맥스카지노�asthmatic respiratory crisis of prolonged magnitude, which also required the application of oxygen at high flows.맥스카지노�Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the head of medicine and surgery at Rome맥스카지노�s Gemelli hospital, said Friday that the biggest threat facing Francis was that some of the germs that are currently located in his respiratory system pass into the bloodstream, causing sepsis. Sepsis can lead to organ failure and death.맥스카지노�Sepsis, with his respiratory problems and his age, would be really difficult to get out of,맥스카지노� Alfieri said at a news conference Friday at Gemelli. 맥스카지노�The English say 맥스카지노�knock on wood,맥스카지노� we say 맥스카지노�touch iron.맥스카지노� Everyone touch what they want,맥스카지노� he said as he tapped the microphone. 맥스카지노�But this is the real risk in these cases: that these germs pass to the bloodstream.맥스카지노� 맥스카지노�He knows he's in danger,맥스카지노� Alfieri added. 맥스카지노�And he told us to convey that.맥스카지노� Vatican hierarchy tamps down speculation Francis might resignMeanwhile, the Vatican hierarchy went on the defensive to tamp down rumors and speculation that Francis might decide to resign. There is no provision in canon law for what to do if a pope becomes incapacitated. Francis has said that he has written a letter of resignation that would be invoked if he were medically incapable of making such a decision. The pope remains fully conscious and alert, eating and working.The Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, gave a rare interview to Corriere della Sera to respond to speculation and rumors about a possible resignation. It came after the Vatican issued an unusual and official denial of an Italian media report that said Parolin and the pope맥스카지노�s chief canonist had visited Francis in the hospital in secret. Given the canonical requirements to make a resignation legitimate, the implications of such a meeting were significant, but the Vatican flat-out denied that any such meeting occurred.Parolin said such speculation seemed 맥스카지노�useless맥스카지노� when what really mattered was the health of Francis, his recovery and return to the Vatican.맥스카지노�On the other hand, I think it is quite normal that in these situations uncontrolled rumors can spread or some misplaced comment is uttered. It is certainly not the first time it has happened,맥스카지노� Parolin was quoted as saying. 맥스카지노�However, I don맥스카지노�t think there is any particular movement, and so far I haven맥스카지노�t heard anything like that.맥스카지노�White House is 맥스카지노�praying for the pope맥스카지노�White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Saturday that President Donald Trump had been briefed on the pope맥스카지노�s condition and was working on his own statement that will be released later.맥스카지노�We맥스카지노�re praying for the pope,맥스카지노� Leavitt said.Leavitt is one of three administration officials who face a lawsuit from The Associated Press on first- and fifth-amendment grounds. The AP says Leavitt and two others are punishing the news agency for editorial decisions they oppose. The White House says the AP is not following an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.Deacons, meanwhile, were gathering at the Vatican for their special Holy Year weekend. Francis got sick at the start of the Vatican맥스카지노�s Holy Year, the once-every-quarter-century celebration of Catholicism. This weekend, Francis was supposed to have celebrated deacons, a ministry in the church that precedes ordination to the priesthood.In his place, the Holy Year organizer will celebrate Sunday맥스카지노�s Mass, the Vatican said. And for the second consecutive weekend, Francis will skip his traditional Sunday noon blessing, which he could have delivered from Gemelli if he were up to it.맥스카지노�Look, even though he's not (physically) here, we know he's here,맥스카지노� said Luis Arnaldo Lopez Quirindongo, a deacon from Ponce, Puerto Rico, who was at the Vatican on Saturday for the Jubilee celebration. 맥스카지노�He's recovering, but he's in our hearts and is accompanying us, because our prayers and his go together.맥스카지노�___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP맥스카지노�s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. 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