Infection triggered organ failure

Los Angeles: Like many other elderly people with chronic illnesses, Pope John Paul II suffered a cascade of organ failures triggered by a si...

Los Angeles: Like many other elderly people with chronic illnesses, Pope John Paul II suffered a cascade of organ failures triggered by a simple bacterial infection. Crippled by advanced Parkinson’s disease and still weakened from a recent bout of the flu, the 84-year-old Pope was especially vulnerable to infection — and later unable to fight its progression.

Each time doctors treated one problem, a new complication arose. A urinary tract infection became a blood infection, which attacked the kidneys and strained the heart and lungs. ‘‘Once this multi-system organ failure starts happening, you really can’t come back,’’ said Dr Benjamin Ansell, an internist at the University of California.

Medical experts who followed news reports of the Pope’s decline said it appeared he had opted for a relatively comfortable death rather than aggressive treatment that might have briefly extended his life. ‘‘At some point he, or somebody who knew his directive, said, ‘We are going to go this far and no further’,’’ said Dr Leslie Saxon, cardiologist at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine.

Cuba breathes easy, allows prelate air time on Pope

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HAVANA: Communist Cuba’s state-run TV gave the country’s top Roman Catholic prelate rare air time on Friday to inform Cubans that Pope John Paul II was on his deathbed. ‘‘A great man is dying,’’ Cardinal Jaime Ortega, Archbishopof Havana, said on the Nightly Television newscast. It was only the second time the cardinal had addressed Cubans on television.

Vatican to issue special stamp when Pope passes away

VATICAN CITY: The Vatican post office said on Saturday it will issue a special stamp when the Pope dies, which can only be used until a new one is elected. According to tradition, the ‘‘vacant see’’ stamp will carry an image of two crossed keys but no papal headgear. The traditional image on Vatican stamps issued while a pope is alive has the keys and the headgear.

Meanwhile, Rome readies to host a million mourners

Rome: Rome’s authorities are boostingtransport, accommodation and emergency services to receive up to a million pilgrims, officials said on Saturday. Hundreds of faithful were flying into Rome’s Fiumicino Airport, asking for directions to Vatican City. All Rome is “embracing the Pope with a special affection,from the street cleaner, to the transportation operator, to the mayor who all want to facilitate the arrival of people who wish to pray for him,” said city mayor Walter Veltroni. —Agencies