ROME -- Pope Francis briefly went to a hospital on Tuesday for tests and returned to the Vatican, witnesses and news reports said, two months after he was hospitalized with an acute case of bronchitis.

The checkup comes after Francis was admitted to the hospital for a bronchial infection on March 29 and discharged on April 1. Francis' health has raised concerns as he has been seen requiring a wheelchair during a state visit to South Sudan and at public events.

Because his check-up was on Tuesday, a day on which he normally does not have any audiences in the Vatican, it seems reasonable to say the visit was scheduled in advance.

POPE FRANCIS HAS returned to the Vatican after undergoing tests in hospital, witnesses and news reports said. The move comes two months after he was taken to hospital with an acute case of bronchitis.

According to Italian news agency ANSA, the pope entered the hospital at 10:40 a.m. for a visit to the hospital’s geriatric medical center. He reportedly left the hospital at 11:20 a.m. to return to the Vatican.

Pope Francis went to the hospital Tuesday for tests and returned back to the Vatican, witnesses and news reports said, two months after he was hospitalized with an acute case of bronchitis.