Pope Francis, in hospital for double pneumonia, is improving slightly, has no fever, and his blood analyses are stable, the Vatican has said.
The 88-year-old pontiff is undergoing treatment at Rome's Gemelli hospital, where he was admitted on February 14 after struggling with breathing difficulties for several days.
In a statement, the Vatican said the pope received the eucharist and dedicated himself to work activities.
It comes after an earlier statement in which the Vatican said Pope Francis had passed another peaceful night in hospital and "got up and had breakfast in his armchair".
Vatican sources said that despite his illness the Argentine pope was still trying to work, reading and signing documents, writing, speaking with his collaborators and keeping up with the news.
In an update last night, the Vatican said the pope's blood tests had shown a "slight improvement" and his clinical conditions were stable.
He had enough energy to receive Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for a 20-minute visit.
Ms Meloni said in a statement afterwards she found him "alert and responsive".
"We joked as always. He hasn't lost his proverbial sense of humour," she said.
The pope has already cancelled his appointments on his calendar this week, including a Saturday audience and Sunday mass at St Peter's Basilica.
But it was still unknown whether the pope would give the traditional Angelus prayer at midday following mass, which will be presided over by a cardinal in Francis's absence.
"We still don't know how it will work," said Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni.
The double pneumonia diagnosis comes after the pope has suffered a series of issues in recent years, from colon and hernia surgery to problems walking and pain in his hip and knee.
The Vatican has been issuing regular updates, however banal, in a bid to counter widespread speculation - particularly online - that he is dying or even dead.
Yesterday evening's statement pointed to a modest change for the better.
"The blood tests, evaluated by the medical staff, show a slight improvement, particularly in inflammatory indices," read the statement.
Yesterday, a Vatican source had said the pope was "breathing on his own. His heart is holding up very well".
Pope had struggled to read homilies in days before hospital admission
The pope, who has been head of the Catholic Church since 2013, keeps a full schedule despite his age and ailments, and this year is busy with celebrations of the holy Jubilee year.
But he had struggled to read his homilies in the days before his hospital admission.
The pontiff - whose birth name is Jorge Bergoglio - had part of his right lung cut away when he was 21, after developing pleurisy that almost killed him.
Francis missed last Sunday's Angelus prayer, instead sending a written text, but during previous spells in hospital he has delivered it from the balcony of the Gemelli, which has a special papal suite.
Candles, some with pictures of the pope on them, have been set at the bottom of a statue of Pope John Paul II outside the Gemelli hospital.
The pope has left open the option of resigning were he to become unable to carry out his duties, as did his predecessor Benedict XVI.
But in a memoir last year Francis said it was just a "distant possibility" that would be justified only in the event of "a serious physical impediment".
