ROME – Pope Francis remains in critical condition but his lab tests have shown a slight improvement, doctors have said.

A Vatican statement this evening said the Pope’s clinical conditions “in their criticality show a slight improvement”.

“Today there were no episodes of asthmatic respiratory crisis,” the statement said, and “some laboratory tests improved.”

Initial and slight signs of kidney damage that presented on Sunday, which doctors described as being “under control”, currently “do not cause concern”, according to the statement.