Pope Francis in critical condition, oxygen on high flow

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The Vatican is carrying on with its Holy Year celebrations without Pope Francis, who remains hospitalized in critical condition with pneumonia.

The Vatican said on Saturday that Francis also received blood transfusions after tests showed low blood platelets, which are needed for clotting. The statement said that the “Holy Father continues to be alert and spent the day in an armchair although in more pain than yesterday. At the moment the prognosis is reserved.”

Doctors say he is still touch-and-go. In a brief early update Saturday, the Vatican said Francis slept well overnight. But doctors have warned that the main threat facing the 88-year-old Francis would be the onset of sepsis, a serious infection of the blood that can occur with pneumonia. As of Friday, there was no evidence of any sepsis and Francis was responding to the various drugs he is taking.