The Vatican says Pope Francis remains in critical condition but has showed slight improvement in laboratory tests.

The pope has begun working again after he showed slight improvement days after initially being listed in critical condition. Pope Francis is battling double pneumonia and is in the early stages of kidney “insufficiency,” The Associated Press reported.

Even while Pope Francis is hospitalized, he still keeps in touch with a Roman Catholic parish in Gaza City, making near-nightly phone calls to the priest and congregation there.

The Vatican's lead diplomat on Thursday criticised President Donald Trump's plan for the U.S. to displace Palestinians from Gaza and "take over" the territory, in the second rebuke of a Trump policy by a top Catholic official this week.

Despite his ongoing hospitalization for treatment of what the Vatican has said is a polymicrobial respiratory infection, Pope Francis has continued calling the Catholic parish in Gaza nightly, its pastor has said.

Pope Francis is being treated for double pneumonia and recent blood tests also revealed "mild renal insufficiency."

Pope Francis remains in critical condition, with blood tests showing mild signs of kidney failure “which is currently under control,” the Vatican said Sunday, as the 88-year-old pontiff battles pneumonia in both his lungs.

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis remained in critical condition Monday but showed slight improvement in laboratory tests and resumed some work, the Vatican said, including calling a parish in Gaza City that he has kept in touch with since the war there began.

The Vatican says Pope Francis remains in critical condition but has showed slight improvement in laboratory tests. He has resumed some work activities, including calling a parish in Gaza City that he has kept in touch with since the war there began.