Vatican seeks to debunk fake news on health of Pope Francis

Since pontiff was hospitalised conspiracy theories have swirled online claiming he has died

While Pope Francis was being treated for double pneumonia, Italian TikToker Ottavo made his way unchallenged into a ward at Gemelli hospital in Rome, followed by a camera. His aim was to bolster a conspiracy theory circulating on social media for weeks: that the 88-year-old pontiff was dead and the Vatican refuses to tell us".

There's no security at all - nothing whatsoever," he told his 10,000 followers in the video. I would never have been able to get this far if he were there. For that reason, in my opinion, Pope Francis passed away."