Vatican: Pope Francis had a bronchial spasm

Pope Francis suffered a bronchial spasm on Friday that resulted in him breathing in vomit, requiring non-invasive mechanical ventilation, the Vatican said in relaying a setback in his two-week long battle against double pneumonia. The 88-year-old pope responded well, with a good level of gas exchange, and remained conscious and alert at all times, the Vatican said in its late update. The development marked a setback in what had been two successive days of increasingly upbeat reports from doctors treating Francis at Rome’s Gemelli hospital since Feb. 14.