Vatican says Pope Francis to leave hospital on Saturday

Pope Francis is expected to be discharged on Saturday from the Rome hospital where he is being treated for bronchitis, the Vatican said. Francis, 86, was hospitalised on Wednesday at Gemelli Polyclinic, where doctors said the pontiff was receiving antibiotics intravenously to treat his bronchitis.

Pope Francis is expected to be discharged on Saturday from the Rome hospital where he is being treated for bronchitis, the Vatican said. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a written statement on Friday that the pope's recovery has been "normal" and that he ate a pizza Thursday for dinner. Francis, 86, was hospitalised on Wednesday at Gemelli Polyclinic, where doctors said the pontiff was receiving antibiotics intravenously to treat his bronchitis.