Pope Francis loses personal doctor to covid19

Pope Francis’ personal doctor, Fabrizio Soccorsi, has died as a result of “complications due to Covid,” the Vatican’s newspaper L’Osservatore Romano announced on Saturday.

Pope Francis chose Soccorsi as a personal doctor in 2015, the news outlet said. He was 78 years old when he died.

Soccorsi was hospitalized in Rome on December 26 for a previous oncological disease, according to the Italian Bishop’s Conference newspaper Avvenire. It’s unclear exactly when he was last in direct contact with Pope Francis.

In an interview, Pope Francis said the Vatican will begin Covid-19 vaccinations next week and he is in line to take it.