The Vatican says that Pope Francis has suffered two new episodes of acute respiratory crises and has been put back on noninvasive mechanical ventilation. Doctors extracted "copious" amounts of mucus from his lungs in another setback in what has become a more than two-week battle to overcome a complex respiratory infection and pneumonia. In a late update Monday, the Vatican said the episodes were caused by a "significant accumulation" of mucus in his lungs and bronchial spasms. "Two bronchoscopies were performed with the need for aspiration of copious secretions," the Vatican said. Francis remained alert, oriented and cooperated with medical personnel. The prognosis remained guarded.

The Vatican says Pope Francis suffered a coughing fit hat resulted in him breathing in vomit, requiring non-invasive mechanical ventilation. The Vatican says he responded well, with a good level of gas exchange, and remained conscious and alert at all times. The episode, reported late Friday by the Vatican, resulted in doctors keeping his prognosis from a two-week battle with double pneumonia as guarded. It marked a setback after two days of increasingly upbeat reports about an improved condition.