Pope Francis is showing improvement, is alert and doing some work, the Vatican said on Friday, as the 88-year-old pontiff began his eighth day in hospital battling pneumonia.

ROME -- Pope Francis marked the one-week point Friday in his hospital stay, getting up to eat breakfast as the 88-year-old pontiff continued fighting pneumonia and a complex respiratory infection, the Vatican said.

A worsening respiratory infection has forced the 88-year-old pontiff to interrupt his busy schedule.