Pope Francis on Wednesday visited Rome’s Gemelli hospital following his general audience at the Vatican.
According to the ABC a Vatican official “After the general audience Pope Francis went to the Gemelli Isola Tiberina Hospital for some diagnostic tests,” a Vatican official said. “Afterwards, he returned to the Vatican.”
During his weekly appearance earlier in the day, Francis said he “still had a bit of a cold.” He asked one of his bishops to do a reading.
Francis, 87, had been admitted to the hospital several times last year. He had bronchitis in March and had intestinal surgery in early June, the Vatican said at the time.
Earlier in the day, the 86-year-old pope was pushed in a wheelchair into the audience hall at the Vatican, appearing weary as he dropped heavily into his seat.
In recent weeks he has walked the short distance to his chair, but he has been struggling with mild flu symptoms the past week.
The pope also canceled appointments Saturday and Monday due to the flu, but appeared as usual for the Sunday blessing from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square.
Last week, Francis coughed repeatedly during Ash Wednesday services that he presided over at a Roman church, and opted not to participate in the traditional procession that inaugurates the church’s Lenten season.
