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VATICAN CITY, Feb 3: Pope John Paul's overall medical condition is "evolving positively", the Vatican said in its latest health bulletin on Thursday.
The statement said the breathing problems that had required the Pope, 84, to be taken to hospital on Tuesday night were receding and that he had not suffered any further throat spasms.
Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said earlier that he expected the Pope would have to spend a week in Rome's Gemelli hospital. "The Holy Father's general condition and his respiratory condition are evolving positively," the brief statement said.
"The laryngotracheitis is in a phase of regression and there have been no more episodes of laryngospasm, which was the reason for his urgent hospitalization." The Vatican said the leader of the world's Roman Catholics had spent a restful night in hospital, and added that the next medical bulletin would be issued on Friday
ASSAILANT'S MESSAGE: The Turk who tried to kill Pope John Paul in 1981 issued a message from jail here on Thursday, containing a wish of speedy recovery for the ailing pontiff and a bizarre call on him to acknowledge that the world has come close to an end.
Mehmet Ali Agca, 46, was extradited to Turkey in June 2000 after serving 19 years in Italy for shooting and seriously wounding the Pope, who has forgiven him for the attack.
In a brief hand written statement in Italian faxed to news agencies by his lawyer, Mustafa Demirbag, Mr Agca wished the pope swift recovery. "Dear Pope John Paul II, I and you suffer for the fulfilment of a divine universal plan... I thank you for having revealed on May 13, 2000, the third secret of Fatima.
"Dear Pope, you must now confirm that we are at the end of the world. This is the last generation of humanity on Planet Earth. Only like this will God give you health and miraculous strength for the coming years. "In any case, I embrace you Karol Wojtyla. I give you my best wishes," Mr Agca wrote, addressing the pontiff with his Polish name. -Reuters/AFP
