Pope Francis, who is spending his sixth day in hospital for treatment of a respiratory infection, is alert and ate breakfast on Wednesday, the Vatican said in its latest update on the pontiff's fragile health.

I do not like to speak about the health of the pope. It’s important to be discreet, not to run after rumors and fake news,” the French Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline said at a press conference today.

Pope Francis has spent four days in hospital after a respiratory traction infection - representing a longer stint in hospital than in 2023 when he was hospitalized for pneumonia, with 'absolute rest'