Pope Francis’ personal doctor has died of complications related to Covid-19, the Vatican has announced.

Fabrizio Soccorsi, 78, was chosen by the pontiff as his personal physician in 2015.

His death was announced in L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, on Saturday.

Dr Soccorsi was being treated in hospital in Gemelli Hospital for cancer at the time of his death, the Vatican said.

After graduating from medical school in 1968, he rose to become director of the department of liver diseases, digestive system and nutrition and of the internal and specialist medicine department at San Camillo Forlanini Hospital in Rome, according to L’Osservatore