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 had stabilized enough Tuesday after two respiratory crises to be taken off noninvasive mechanical ventilation and receive just high flows of supplemental oxygen, as he continued his more than two-week long fight against double pneumonia,

Pope Francis, the 88-year-old leader of the Catholic church, had another setback in his battle with double pneumonia after suffering two acute respiratory failures when mucus in his lungs made it harder to breathe.