Pope Francis, who suffered two respiratory crises on Monday as he battles double pneumonia, has stabilised and no longer needs to use mechanical ventilation for help breathing, the Vatican said on Tuesday.

Pope Francis has been hospitalized at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital since mid-February, where he has been battling double pneumonia. On Friday, he had a sudden respiratory episode, which required him to receive an oxygen mask. His current hospitalization is his fourth - and now longest - stay since he became pope in 2013.

Pope Francis, who has been in hospital for just over two weeks fighting double pneumonia, is in a stable condition and has not had further breathing crises, the Vatican said on Saturday.