Pope Francis has been admitted to the hospital for a medical examination following his weekly general audience at the Vatican on Wednesday, as confirmed by the Vatican.

The head of the Catholic Church returned to the Vatican shortly after the examination. Vatican sources revealed that the Pope has been grappling with a “mild flu” for the past few days, resulting in the cancellation of several public appearances.

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During the general audience before visiting the hospital, Pope Francis mentioned, “I still have a bit of a cold.”

Despite his health issues, the pontiff plans to hold a private audience with Germany’s Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, for the first time on Saturday.

Concerns about Pope Francis’ health have been prevalent for some time now. Notably, he has recently encountered problems with inflammation of the respiratory tract. Additionally, last year, he was hospitalized twice due to various health concerns.

The Pope’s physical condition often necessitates the use of a wheelchair during public appearances due to a knee condition.

It’s worth noting that Pope Francis, born in Argentina, has held the papal office since 2013. He succeeded German Pope Benedict XVI and is on the verge of marking his 11th year in office next month.