Thursday, February 3 2005 16:48 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Rome: Pope John Paul II spent a restful night and was responding well to treatment after being rushed to a Rome hospital with breathing problems brought on by the flu, his spokesman said today (Feb 3, 2005) as doctors kept vigil for any complications.

The Holy Seer insisted there was no cause for alarm, but a top church health official said doctors were on guard for complications that could weaken the already frail pontiff, who suffers from Parkinson's disease. The Vatican said the 84-year-old pope would spend the next few days at the Gemelli Polyclinic hospital after being admitted late Tuesday (Feb 1, 2005).

"The pope has rested well," papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls, said today after spending two hours in the pope's hospital suite. "He rested well all night, and the laboratory tests that were made give a satisfactory result."

"He's bouncing back," Italian Health Minister Girolamo Sirchia, a physician, told reporters last evening after a visit to Gemelli. "We're optimistic. The doctors are optimistic."

The pope is "recovering well," said Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who, as secretary of State, is the Vatican's No 2.

He told private TV Channels that the pope's breathing problems could have been handled at the Vatican, where the pope had been laid up since Sunday evening with the flu.

"But the Holy Father, as everybody, entrusts himself to the doctors," and the decision was made to hospitalise him, he said.