According to the Pope's press service, the 84-year-old pontiff, who fell ill with the flu on Monday, was transferred to a hospital out of "caution" to avoid possible complications. The Pope was placed in the Rome "Gemelli" hospital.
Earlier, the Vatican press service announced that due to John Paul II's illness, all audiences and other public events of the Pope have been canceled for the coming days. Vatican official Joaquin Navarro-Valls told journalists that he cannot say exactly how long John Paul II will not participate in official events. "For now I cannot say whether it will be one day or three days. But based on logic, it is clear that this is a short-term phenomenon," he stated.
The health condition of the 84-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church has long been a cause for concern among doctors. He has undergone treatment at the "Gemelli" clinic several times, among other things after the 1981 assassination attempt on his life.
According to information from Italy's Ministry of Health, the country is currently at the peak of the seasonal flu epidemic, with the incidence rate exceeding 1% of the population.