People stand in front of a statue of Pope John Paul II outside the Gemelli hospital where Pope Francis, 88, is hospitalized for tests and treatment for bronchitis in Rome, on Monday. According to a Vatican bulletin released at 1 p.m. local time on Feb 17, ongoing test results have shown a ‘polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract.’ Francis, who has battled bronchitis since the start of the month, was first hospitalized on Feb. 14. In the previous weeks, Francis had been short of breath and struggled to speak during many of his public appearances.
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