Rudy Giuliani remains hospitalized as doctors report gradual improvement after pneumonia diagnosis

Rudy Giuliani is reportedly showing signs of improvement nearly a week after being hospitalized, though sources close to his medical situation say his condition remains serious and unpredictable.

The 81-year-old former New York City mayor was admitted to the hospital on Sunday, May 3, after being diagnosed with pneumonia linked to a respiratory virus, metapneumovirus.

His hospitalization was later complicated by underlying health conditions tied to his response to the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Giuliani’s attorney, Joseph Cammarata, said in a video posted to X on Friday that the former mayor is improving daily and “on his way to making a recovery.”

“He’s making great progress each and every day,” Cammarata said. “He feels the prayer and love being projected toward him from his supporters.”

Giuliani was briefly placed in intensive care earlier in the week. On Monday, May 4, a priest visited him and administered last rites, according to his team.

However, by Wednesday, May 6, he was transferred out of the ICU, signaling what his representatives described as a positive step forward.

Despite those updates, a source familiar with his condition told PEOPLE that his health remains “very touch and go,” underscoring the uncertainty surrounding his recovery.

Medical complications have been worsened by pre-existing conditions, including restrictive airway disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which his team says made the infection significantly more severe.

Giuliani’s spokesperson, Ted Goodman, said earlier in the week that while the situation had been critical, the former mayor “is the same fighter he’s always been.”

Cammarata also addressed reports suggesting Giuliani had recently applied for the World Trade Center Health Program while hospitalized, calling the claims “misinformation” and stating that any application was made in January 2026.

The federal program provides medical care for first responders and others exposed to toxins following the 9/11 attacks.

Giuliani, who served as mayor from 1994 to 2001, has long dealt with ongoing health issues linked to his time responding to the World Trade Center attacks.

His team says those conditions have contributed to recurring medical complications in recent years.

His latest hospitalization follows a series of health setbacks, including serious injuries sustained in a 2025 car accident, when he was struck by another vehicle after stopping to assist a domestic violence victim.