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Francis, who has been in Rome's Gemelli Hospital since February 14, is again receiving "non-invasive, mechanical ventilation" to help with his breathing.

In a late update, the Vatican said the episodes were caused by a 'significant accumulation' of mucus in his lungs and bronchial spasms.

The 88-year-old pontiff has been hospitalized since Feb. 14 after a bout of bronchitis worsened and turned into a complex pneumonia in both lungs.

Francis had inhaled “copious” amounts of mucus in another setback in what has become a more than two-week battle to overcome a complex respiratory infection and pneumonia.

Pope Francis has been placed back on mechanical ventilation following medical episodes after 17 days in the hospital. The Vatican announced in

Pope Francis suffered two new acute respiratory crises Monday and was put back on noninvasive mechanical ventilation, in another setback to his battle to fight pneumonia, the Vatican said. Doctors extracted “copious” amounts of mucus from his lungs during two bronchoscopies,

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The Vatican said the mucus was the body’s reaction to the original pneumonia infection and not a new infection, given laboratory tests don’t indicate any new bacteria. Francis remained alert, oriented and cooperated with medical personnel.