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lung infection
Former South African President Nelson Mandela has left a Pretoria hospital and has gone to his Johannesburg home, where he is continuing to receive intensive care, the presidency says on its website.
The announcement came a day after officials denied reports that Nelson Mandela, 95, had already been discharged.
The presidency’s statement says Nelson Mandela’s condition remains critical and at times unstable.
South Africa’s first democratically elected president has been in hospital since June with a lung infection.
Nelson Mandela, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is revered around the world for leading the fight against white minority rule and preaching reconciliation with the white community despite being imprisoned for 27 years.
“His team of doctors are convinced that he will receive the same level of intensive care at his Houghton home that he received in Pretoria [hospital],” the statement from President Jacob Zuma’s says.
It adds that Nelson Mandela’s home in the suburb of Houghton has been “reconfigured to allow him to receive intensive care there” and he will be treated by the same health care personnel who have been looking after him since June 8.
Nelson Mandela has left a Pretoria hospital and has gone to his Johannesburg home
If necessary, he will be readmitted to hospital, the presidency says.
Despite his various illnesses, the statement from Jacob Zuma’s office notes, the former president had displayed “immense grace and fortitude”.
The South African government has released few details about his condition, appealing for Nelson Mandela’s privacy and dignity to be respected.
Correspondents say this is not the discharge of a man who has made a significant recovery but the transfer of a patient from an intensive care ward in a hospital to a specially built intensive care unit in his own home, presumably in line with his family’s wishes.
“It is a day of celebration for us, that he is finally back home with us,” said his grandson Mandla Mandela.
On Saturday, sources close to Nelson Mandela told the international media that he had already returned home.
This was denied by South Africa’s presidency, which handles all communications about the former leader’s health.
Nelson Mandela’s lung condition is said to result from the tuberculosis he contracted during the 27 years he spent in prison for taking up arms against white minority rule.
He is been hospitalized four times in the past year and his latest stay lasted 84 days.
He became president after 1994 elections – the first time black South Africans were allowed to vote – and stepped down five years later.
Nelson Mandela’s last public appearance was at the 2010 football World Cup, which South Africa hosted.
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Reports that Nelson Mandela has been discharged from hospital are incorrect, South Africa’s presidency says.
News outlets earlier quoted sources close to the former South African president as saying he had returned home.
The presidency said in a statement that Nelson Mandela was critical but stable, but at times his condition became unstable, prompting medical intervention.
Nelson Mandela, 95, was admitted with a recurring lung infection on June 8.
Reports that Nelson Mandela has been discharged from hospital are incorrect
The country’s first black president, Nelson Mandela is revered by many as the father of the nation.
His prolonged hospital stay – by far the longest since he was released from prison in 1990 – has caused concern both in South Africa and abroad.
The family has long hoped that he would improve sufficiently at least to enable him to make the journey home in the Johannesburg suburb of Houghton and be treated there.
But one of the sources quoted by international media has now spoken of being misinformed about Nelson Mandela’s release.
The confusion could have arisen out of a possible move soon to get Nelson Mandela home, which would clearly depend on his health at the time.
The infection Nelson Mandela is being treated for is said to date back to a period of nearly three decades he spent in prison for anti-apartheid activity.
People from South Africa and around the world have sent him their best wishes, and flowers and other tributes have collected outside Pretoria’s MediClinic Heart Hospital.
Throughout Nelson Mandela’s stay in hospital, President Jacob Zuma has urged the country to pray for him and keep him in their thoughts.
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Nelson Mandela has returned to his home in Johannesburg after a long stay in hospital in Pretoria.
The 95-year-old former South African president was admitted with a recurring lung infection on June.
Last week Nelson Mandela was said to be critical but stable and “showing great resilience”, and there has been no official update on him since then.
Nelson Mandela has returned to his home in Johannesburg after a long stay in hospital in Pretoria
South Africa’s first black president, Nelson Mandela is revered by many as the father of the nation.
His prolonged hospital stay has caused concern both in South Africa and abroad.
The infection is said to date back to a period of nearly three decades Nelson Mandela spent in prison for anti-apartheid activity.
People from South Africa and around the world have sent him their best wishes, and flowers and other tributes have collected outside Pretoria’s MediClinic Heart Hospital.
Throughout Nelson Mandela’s stay in hospital, President Jacob Zuma urged the country to pray for him and keep him in their thoughts.
Nelson Mandela is said to be showing great resilience in hospital though his condition becomes unstable at times.
The 95-year-old South African former leader is “still critical but stable”, according to a statement from President Jacob Zuma’s office.
Nelson Mandela remains in hospital in Pretoria two-and-a-half months after being admitted with a recurring lung infection.
Nelson Mandela is said to be showing great resilience in hospital though his condition becomes unstable at times
The statement largely squares with comments from members of his family.
However, Saturday’s statement does provide some fresh insight into the precariousness of the health of the global icon and the reserves he still appears able to call upon.
The statement said doctors were still working hard to bring about a turnaround in his health and, as a result of medical interventions, Nelson Mandela’s condition tended to stabilize.
President Jacob Zuma, who is travelling to Malaysia on an official visit, urged the country to continue praying for Nelson Mandela and to keep him in their thoughts at all times.
Nelson Mandela, who stepped down as the country’s first black president in 1999, entered hospital on June 8.
The anti-apartheid activist’s lung infection is believed to date back to the period of nearly three decades he spent in prison, for his activities in the African National Congress.
People from South Africa and around the world have sent Nelson Mandela their best wishes, and flowers and other tributes have collected outside Pretoria’s Medi Clinic Heart Hospital.
President Barack Obama has landed in South Africa, the second stop in his three-country tour of Africa, amid vigils for Nelson Mandela.
Barack Obama said earlier he did not expect to see former President Nelson Mandela, who is critically ill in hospital.
Leaving Senegal, Barack Obama told reporters on board Air Force One: “I don’t need a photo op.”
Meanwhile, Nelson Mandela’s ex-wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela said the former leader had made “a great improvement” in recent days, but was “still unwell”.
Correspondents say security is tight in the streets near Mediclinic Heart Hospital in the capital, Pretoria, where the 94-year old is being treated for a lung infection.
Ministers, politicians, Nelson Mandela’s physician and family members were among those visiting the ex-leader on Friday, his 21st day in hospital.
Barack Obama’s plane landed at a military airbase near Pretoria on Friday evening. He has meetings scheduled in the capital on Saturday morning.
But Barack Obama said earlier he did not expect to see the ailing ex-leader during his visit to South Africa.
“I don’t need a photo op,” the president said aboard Air Force One after leaving Senegal.
President Barack Obama has landed in South Africa amid vigils for Nelson Mandela
“The last thing I want to do is to be in any way obtrusive at a time when the family is concerned with Nelson Mandela’s condition.”
He went on to say: “I think the main message we’ll want to deliver is not directly to him, but to his family – is simply profound gratitude for his leadership all these years, and that the thoughts and prayers of the American people are with him, his family and his country.”
Barack Obama met Nelson Mandela in 2005 when he was still a US senator. Both men became the first black presidents of their nations and have received the Nobel Peace Prize.
The US president has described Nelson Mandela as a “hero for the world”, whose “legacy will linger on through the ages”, and who had inspired his own activism as a student.
Earlier on Friday, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela told reporters outside Nelson Mandela’s former home in Soweto: “I’m not a doctor but I can say that from what he was a few days ago there is great improvement, but clinically he is still unwell.”
She also thanked domestic and international media for their coverage, but added that some of the reports had caused the family distress.
“We had no idea of the love for us out there,” she said.
“There may be problems here and there when some of you get carried away and talk about our father in the past tense,” she said.
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela added: “If sometimes we sound bitter, it is because we are dealing with a difficult situation.”
Earlier this week, Nelson Mandela’s eldest daughter criticized the international media camped outside the Mediclinic Heart Hospital, calling them “vultures”.
People in South Africa are anxious about Nelson Mandela’s health but also want to express their pride in the man many consider the father of the nation.
South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) said it would hold vigils each day that the former leader remained in hospital, and the distinctive black, green and gold colors of the party are much in evidence.
But the party denied it was exploiting the occasion to canvas for votes ahead of next year’s elections.
“We love our ANC regalia and we have every right to wish Madiba well,” party spokesman Jackson Mthembu said.
Meanwhile, a court in the Eastern Cape has granted an application brought by the Mandela family to exhume three of his children and two other relatives and rebury them in the family cemetery in Qunu, which is where the former leader wants to be buried, their lawyers say.
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South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has cancelled a trip to Mozambique on Thursday after visiting former leader Nelson Mandela, 94, who remains critically ill in a Pretoria hospital.
Jacob Zuma’s spokesman Mac Maharaj said his condition had deteriorated “in the past 48 hours”.
South Africa’s first black president has been in hospital since June 8 with a recurring lung infection.
Doctors were doing everything to ensure his well-being, a statement said.
Emotional crowds continue to gather outside the hospital, adding messages of support for Nelson Mandela.
Correspondents say South Africans now seem resigned to the prospect of his death.
“We are all going to feel bad when he passes [away], but at the same time we will be celebrating his life. He has done so many great things for this country,” said 25-year-old John Ndlovu, quoted by Reuters news agency.
South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has cancelled a trip to Mozambique on Thursday after visiting former leader Nelson Mandela
Jacob Zuma was due to attend a regional summit in the Mozambican capital Maputo on Thursday, but decided to cancel his trip.
The statement from his office said he “reiterated his gratitude on behalf of government, to all South Africans who continue to support the Madiba family”.
President Jacob Zuma’s decision to cancel the visit to Mozambique where he was to attend a regional infrastructure investment conference will only reinforce the impression that Nelson Mandela’s life is slipping away.
But later Jacob Zuma’s office warned against speculation about Nelson Mandela’s health, saying that announcements about his condition would come from the president himself or Mac Maharaj.
Mac Maharaj criticized some media outlets for broadcasting unverified information, as rumors spread on social media sites.
Nelson Mandela, known by his clan name Madiba, is revered for leading the fight against white minority rule in South Africa and then preaching reconciliation despite being imprisoned for 27 years.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 and was elected president the following year. He left office in 1999 after a single term.
Nelson Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has rarely been seen at official events since.
He has a long history of lung problems, and was diagnosed with tuberculosis in the 1980s while he was a prisoner on Robben Island.
After his release, Nelson Mandela said that the tuberculosis was probably caused by dampness in his prison cell.
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Leading South African cleric Archbishop Thabo Makgoba has prayed for ex-President Nelson Mandela’s “peaceful end” as he remains in a critical condition in hospital.
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba visited Nelson Mandela, 94, in hospital in Pretoria, praying with his wife Graca Machel.
Elders from Nelson Mandela’s Tembu clan are due to visit him on Wednesday, local media say.
Nelson Mandela’s condition became critical on Sunday, following his admission on June 8 with a recurring lung infection.
The scene at the hospital, where well-wishers have decorated a wall with flowers and supportive messages, is described as quiet, save for waiting journalists.
It is Nelson Mandela’s third stay in hospital this year with lung problems.
Nelson Mandela, known by his clan name Madiba, is revered for leading the fight against white minority rule in South Africa and then preaching reconciliation despite being imprisoned for 27 years. He left power after five years as the country’s first black president.
Cape Town Archbishop Thabo Makgoba’s prayer, delivered during a visit to the private hospital late on Tuesday, seemed to echo the growing feeling in South Africa that Nelson Mandela is reaching the end of his life, correspondents say.
“May [we] be filled with gratitude for all the good that he has done for us and for our nation, and may [we] honor his legacy through our lives…” reads the prayer, which was posted on Archbishop Thabo Makgoba’s Facebook page.
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba has prayed for Nelson Mandela’s “peaceful end” as he remains in a critical condition in hospital
“Grant Madiba eternal healing and relief from pain and suffering. Grant him, we pray, a quiet night and a peaceful, perfect, end.”
Meanwhile, a friend of Nelson Mandela and the leader of the opposition United Democratic Movement (UDM) party, Bantu Holomisa, denied that a row had broken out in the ex-president’s family over funeral arrangements.
Bantu Holomisa, along with Nelson Mandela’s children, grandchildren, traditional leaders and government ministers, met on Tuesday in Qunu, the village where Mandela grew up and spent of his time after he stepped down as president in 1999, South Africa’s Star newspaper reports.
“The purpose of the meeting was to brief the elders about Mandela’s condition…. One does not want to leave the elders behind,” Bantu Holomisa told the local Mail and Guardian newspaper.
The Star reports that it has learned from three sources that Nelson Mandela’s grandson and his traditional heir, Mandla, wants the former president to be buried in the nearby village of Mvezo where he was born.
However, other family members want the burial to take place in Qunu and they also want the bodies of three of Nelson Mandela’s children, including his eldest son, Makgatho, who died of an AIDS-related illness in 2005, to be exhumed from Mvezo and moved back to Qunu, the paper reports.
According to South Africa’s Times newspaper, clan elders are due to travel to Pretoria on Wednesday to visit Nelson Mandela.
The former South African president has children from his two previous wives, Evelyn Mase and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, both of whom he divorced.
Nelson Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has rarely been seen at official events since.
He has a long history of lung problems, and was diagnosed with tuberculosis in the 1980s while he was a prisoner on Robben Island.
After his release, Nelson Mandela said that the tuberculosis was probably caused by dampness in his prison cell.
Former South African President Nelson Mandela has become critically ill in hospital, President Jacob Zuma has announced.
Jacob Zuma said he had visited Nelson Mandela and spoken to his wife and medical teams.
Doctors were “doing everything possible to get his condition to improve” said Jacob Zuma in a statement.
Nelson Mandela, 94, was taken to hospital in Pretoria earlier this month for the third time this year, with a lung infection.
Jacob Zuma said he had been told by doctors that the former president’s condition had worsened over the past 24 hours.
“The doctors are doing everything possible to get his condition to improve and are ensuring that Madiba is well-looked after and is comfortable. He is in good hands,” said Jacob Zuma, using Nelson Mandela’s clan name by which he is widely known in South Africa.
Jacob Zuma appealed for prayers for Nelson Mandela and his medical team.
Nelson Mandela has become critically ill in hospital
Mac Maharaj, Jacob Zuma’s spokesman, said the doctors’ use of the word “critical” was “sufficient explanation that should raise concern amongst us”.
“Therefore we want to assure the public that the doctors are working away to try and get his condition to improve,” he said.
The release of information relating to Nelson Mandela is always carefully controlled by the government to avoid sparking alarm.
The use of the word “critical” to describe his condition will be seen as very worrying by South Africans, many of whom see him as like a family member.
There has been little information about Nelson Mandela’s condition in recent days. On June 13 Jacob Zuma, who releases all official updates relating to the much-loved leader, said his health continued to improve but that his condition remained serious.
More recently, one of Nelson Mandela’s grandsons, Ndaba Mandela, said his grandfather was getting better and he hoped he would be home soon.
Nelson Mandela’s wife, Graca Machel, thanked all those who had sent messages of support, saying they had brought “love, comfort and hope”.
The former president is revered for leading the fight against white minority rule in South Africa and then preaching reconciliation despite being imprisoned for 27 years. He left power after five years as president.
He is believed to have suffered damage to his lungs while working in a prison quarry.
He contracted tuberculosis in the 1980s while being held in jail on the windswept Robben Island.
Nelson Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has rarely been seen at official events since.
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South Africa’s former President Nelson Mandela is “responding better” to treatment in hospital, President Jacob Zuma has said.
Jacob Zuma told parliament he was happy with the progress being made by Nelson Mandela after a “difficult few days”.
Nelson Mandela, 94, is spending his fifth day in a Pretoria hospital suffering from a recurrent lung infection.
His wife, Graca Machel, his daughter and two granddaughters visited Nelson Mandela on Wednesday.
His family released a statement saying they had “been deeply touched” by the concern shown for Nelson Mandela’s health.
“The family have been heartened by the overwhelming messages of support from the public,” the statement said.
Jacob Zuma noted that Wednesday was the 49th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s being sentenced to life in prison under the apartheid regime.
“Our country is a much better place to live in now than it was before 1994 [when Nelson Mandela was elected], even though we still have so much work to do,” he said.
“We fully understand and appreciate the global interest in this world icon. We are so proud to call him our own,” Jacob Zuma added.
Nelson Mandela is responding better to treatment in hospital
“We urge South Africans and the international community to continue to keep President Mandela and the medical team in their thoughts and prayers,” he went on.
On Tuesday Jacob Zuma had described Nelson Mandela’s condition as “very serious but stabilized”.
Jacob Zuma said the doctors were doing a “very good job”, adding that the former president was a “good fighter”.
His ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and other relatives visited the ailing former leader on Tuesday.
Nelson Mandela has been in intensive care since he was taken to hospital on Saturday for the third time this year.
In December, he spent 18 days undergoing treatment for a lung infection and gallstones.
Before being admitted to hospital, Nelson Mandela had been ill for some days at his Johannesburg home, with a recurrence of his long-standing lung problems, said a statement from the president’s office on Tuesday.
He was taken to hospital when his condition worsened at 01:30 on Saturday.
Widely referred to by his clan name Madiba, Nelson Mandela served as president from 1994 to 1999.
He was previously imprisoned for 27 years, and is believed to have suffered damage to his lungs while working in a prison quarry.
He contracted tuberculosis in the 1980s while being held in jail on the windswept Robben Island.
Nelson Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has been rarely seen at official events since.
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Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president, remains in a serious but stable condition in a Pretoria hospital, the latest update has announced.
The South African presidency said Nelson Mandela’s condition was unchanged and confirmed that he was in intensive care.
Prayers have been said in churches across the country for ex-President Nelson Mandela, who is being treated for a lung infection.
Nelson Mandela, 94, was taken to hospital early on Saturday, the third time this year he has been admitted.
The presidency said he had been ill for some days at his Johannesburg home, with a recurrence of his long-standing lung problems.
Nelson Mandela was admitted to hospital after his condition worsened at 01:30 on Saturday.
The government said in a statement: “President Jacob Zuma reiterates his call for South Africa to pray for Madiba and the family during this time.” Madiba is Nelson Mandela’s clan name.
In releasing the latest update, presidency spokesman Mac Maharaj also denied that visitors were being blocked from seeing Nelson Mandela.
Mac Maharaj said: “The reality is that the normal procedures when a patient is under intensive care are applying from the medical side.
“Therefore there are limitations on visitors and, you know, that when a person is in intensive care the doctors only allow some very close people to be there – it is not the way it is being presented in the media.”
Nelson Mandela remains in a serious but stable condition in a Pretoria hospital
There is a quiet hope that the man who led the fight against apartheid may regain his strength once again.
Many took heart from a visit on Sunday by Nelson Mandela’s daughter, Zindzi, who said that her father was “well” and “a fighter”.
Nelson Mandela’s wife, Graca Machel, cancelled a scheduled appearance in London on Saturday to remain at her husband’s bedside.
He served as president from 1994 to 1999.
Nelson Mandela was previously imprisoned for 27 years, and is believed to have suffered damaged lungs while working in a prison quarry.
He contracted tuberculosis in the 1980s while being held in jail on the windswept Robben Island.
Nelson Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has been rarely seen in public since.
Nelson Mandela: Key dates
- 1918 Born in the Eastern Cape
- 1943 Joins African National Congress
- 1956 Charged with high treason, but charges dropped
- 1962 Arrested, convicted of sabotage, sentenced to five years in prison
- 1964 Charged again, sentenced to life
- 1990 Freed from prison
- 1993 Wins Nobel Peace Prize
- 1994 Elected first black president
- 1999 Steps down as leader
- 2004 Retires from public life
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Former South African President Nelson Mandela has been admitted to hospital with a lung infection.
Nelson Mandela, 94, is in a “serious but stable condition”, a spokesman for the current president, Jacob Zuma, says.
He has been ill for some days but deteriorated overnight and was transferred to a hospital in Pretoria.
Nelson Mandela led the fight against apartheid, became South Africa’s first black president, and is widely regarded as father of the nation.
He has recently suffered a series of health problems and this is his fifth visit to hospital in two years.
In April Nelson Mandela was released from hospital after a 10-day stay caused by pneumonia.
His illness was described on Saturday as a recurrence of a lung infection, which has troubled him repeatedly.
Nelson Mandela was taken to hospital, from his home in a suburb of Johannesburg, at about 01:30 local time.
Mac Maharaj, South Africa’s presidential spokesman, said he was receiving expert medical care.
Former South African President Nelson Mandela has been admitted to hospital with a lung infection
Doctors were doing everything possible to make him comfortable and better, he added.
Mac Maharaj said at least one close member of Nelson Mandela’s family was with him in hospital.
“Naturally the immediate members of the family have access to him and it’s always good for the patient that he has been accompanied by one or other of them, and that has happened,” he said.
“President Jacob Zuma, on behalf of government and the nation, wishes Madiba a speedy recovery and requests the media and the public to respect the privacy of Madiba and his family,” Mac Maharaj said in a statement, using the clan name by which Nelson Mandela is often known.
Nelson Mandela served as president from 1994 to 1999.
He was previously imprisoned for 27 years, and is believed to have suffered damaged lungs while working in a prison quarry.
He contracted tuberculosis in the 1980s while being held in jail on the windswept Robben Island.
Nelson Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has been rarely seen in public since.
There was a row in April when South Africa’s governing African National Congress (ANC) – Nelson Mandela’s party – filmed a visit to see him and broadcast the pictures of him with President Jacob Zuma and other party figures.
Critics called it an invasion of his privacy.
Nelson Mandela awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 jointly with former President FW de Klerk for ending apartheid and bringing democracy to South Africa.
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Churches across South Africa are holding prayers for former President Nelson Mandela, who has been in hospital for four days being treated for pneumonia.
Several hundred people gathered at the Regina Mundi church in Soweto – once a focal point of the struggle against apartheid.
On Saturday, South Africa’s presidency said Nelson Mandela, 94, was breathing without difficulty.
It said excess fluid had been drained from the lungs to ease his breathing.
Churches across South Africa are holding prayers for Nelson Mandela, who has been in hospital for four days being treated for pneumonia
There are no details yet on how long he will remain in hospital and no statement on his condition has been given for the past 24 hours.
After Nelson Mandela was admitted to hospital late on Wednesday, South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma said people “must not panic”.
Nelson Mandela contracted tuberculosis in the 1980s while detained on windswept Robben Island.
His lungs are said to have been damaged while working in a prison quarry. This latest spell in hospital is his fourth in just over two years.
Nelson Mandela served as South Africa’s first black president from 1994 to 1999 and is regarded by many as the father of the nation for leading the struggle against apartheid.
The statement read by presidential spokesman, Mac Maharaj, on Saturday said that Nelson Mandela had been admitted to hospital “due to a recurrence of pneumonia”.
It said: “Doctors advised that due to the lung infection, former President Mandela had developed a pleural effusion which was tapped. This has resulted in him now being able to breathe without difficulty.
“He continues to respond to treatment and is comfortable.”
Mac Maharaj, a prisoner on Robben Island with Nelson Mandela in the 1960s and 70s, said the presidency “would like to acknowledge and thank all who have been praying for, and sending messages of support for, Madiba and his family.”
Madiba is Mandela’s clan name and is widely used to refer to him.
The hospital Nelson Mandela is attending has not been disclosed.
Last December Nelson Mandela was treated for a lung infection and gallstones – his longest period in hospital since leaving prison in 1990.
In February, the former president was treated for a stomach condition.
When asked whether people should prepare for the inevitable, President Jacob Zuma said: “In Zulu, when someone passes away who is very old, people say he or she has gone home. I think those are some of the things we should be thinking about.”
But the president stressed that Nelson Mandela had been able to handle the situation “very well” so far.
South Africans have been praying for the recovery of Nelson Mandela, who remains a moral beacon in the country despite withdrawing from public life almost a decade ago.
Despite his long imprisonment, Nelson Mandela forgave his former enemies and as president urged South Africans of all races to work together and seek reconciliation.
In 1993 Nelson Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
His main home is in Qunu, a small rural village in Eastern Cape province, where he says he spent the happiest days of his childhood.
However, doctors said in December Nelson Mandela should remain at his home in the Johannesburg neighborhood of Houghton to be close to medical facilities.
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Nelson Mandela has been re-admitted to hospital in South Africa with a recurrence of a lung infection.
A statement from the South African presidency said former President Nelson Mandela, 94, had been admitted just before midnight.
Nelson Mandela spent 18 days in hospital in December undergoing treatment for a lung infection and gallstones.
He is widely regarded as the father of the nation for leading the struggle against apartheid.
Nelson Mandela has been re-admitted to hospital in South Africa with a recurrence of a lung infection
Nelson Mandela served as South Africa’s first black president from 1994 to 1999. However, his health has caused concern for some time.
A presidential spokesman said Nelson Mandela was conscious and was receiving the best possible medical treatment.
“I think we need to be clear that the doctors are attending to Madiba [Mr Mandela] on a continuous basis,” spokesman Mac Maharaj said.
“They prefer to act on the side of caution, and the moment they felt there was a recurrence of the lung infection, they felt that it warranted immediate hospitalization given his age and given his history.”
The government statement said President Jacob Zuma wished Nelson Mandela a speedy recovery.
“We appeal to the people of South Africa and the world to pray for our beloved Madiba and his family and to keep them in their thoughts. We have full confidence in the medical team and know that they will do everything possible to ensure recovery,” President Jacob Zuma said.
The former president is often fondly referred to by his clan name, Madiba.
It is the fourth time Nelson Mandela has been admitted to hospital in just over two years.
He first contracted tuberculosis in the 1980s while detained on the windswept Robben Island where he served 18 of the 27 years he was imprisoned for sabotage.
His lungs are said to have been damaged when he worked in a prison quarry.
Despite his long imprisonment, Nelson Mandela forgave his former enemies and as president urged South Africans of all races to work together and seek reconciliation.
In 1993 Nelson Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
The treatment Nelson Mandela received in December 2012 was his longest spell in hospital since leaving prison in 1990.
Earlier this month he spent a night in hospital following a check-up.
Nelson Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has been rarely seen in public since.
Nelson Mandela lives in Qunu, a small rural village in Eastern Cape province, where he says he spent the happiest days of his childhood.
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Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez is suffering from “complications” brought on by a “severe lung infection” which developed after surgery, officials say.
Hugo Chavez, 58, had his fourth operation for cancer in Cuba on December 11 and then developed a respiratory infection.
In a statement from Caracas, Information Minister Ernesto Villegas said the infection had “led to a respiratory insufficiency”.
Hugo Chavez is due to be sworn in for another term in office on January 10.
“[Mr.] Chavez has faced complications as a consequence of a severe lung infection,” said Ernesto Villegas.
The president has not been seen in public since having cancer surgery in Havana, prompting persistent speculation about his condition.
The information minister was among a number of Hugo Chavez’s political allies who have urged people not to believe what they called lies about his health.
Ernesto Villegas warned Venezuelans not to be taken in by a “psychological war” being fought in the media which had the “ultimate aim of destabilizing the Bolivarian republic”.
Hugo Chavez is suffering from complications brought on by a severe lung infection which developed after surgery
Vice-President Nicolas Maduro and National Assembly Head Diosdado Cabello visited Hugo Chavez this week, along with several other dignitaries.
Nicolas Maduro said on Wednesday that President Hugo Chavez was “conscious” and had gripped his hand firmly as they discussed Venezuelan politics.
He and Diosdado Cabello flew back to Caracas on Thursday and dismissed rumors of a split in the governing socialist movement.
“We’re more unified than ever,” Vice-President Nicolas Maduro said upon his return to Venezuela from Cuba.
“We swore in front of Commander Chavez that we’ll be united at the side of our people,” he said.
Opposition activists have speculated about a split between Nicolas Maduro, whom President Hugo Chavez named as his preferred successor, and Diosdado Cabello, who the constitution decrees should temporarily take over power if the Venezuelan leader were to have “an absolute absence”.
Diosdado Cabello said that those who were spreading rumours about problems between him and Nicolas Maduro would “have to wait 2,000 years for that to happen”.
Hugo Chavez has been in power since 1999 and was elected for a fourth term in office in October.
It is unclear if he will be able to attend the swearing-in ceremony for another six-year term in office next week, nor what the procedure would be if he was unable to attend.
Diosdado Cabello recently said that the ceremony could be delayed. But the opposition says such a move would be unconstitutional.
Opposition politicians say there have been no independent reports of the president’s condition.
On Thursday, Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma demanded that a commission travel to Cuba to report back on Hugo Chavez’s health.
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Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president, is being treated for a lung infection, the president’s office has said.
This is the first time officials have revealed why Nelson Mandela, 94, was rushed to a military hospital in the capital, Pretoria, on Saturday.
Tests showed a “recurrence of a previous lung infection”, presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj said.
Nelson Mandela is responding to his treatment, Mac Maharaj added.
News of the hospital stay has prompted much concern in South Africa.
The former president is regarded by most South Africans as the father of the nation, having inspired them to fight for democracy.
He led the struggle against white-minority rule before being elected the first black president in democratic elections in 1994.
Despite being imprisoned for 27 years by the apartheid government, after his release he forgave his former enemies and urged South Africans of all races to work together and seek reconciliation.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.
News that the frail Nelson Mandela has another lung infection is likely to generate considerable anxiety.
Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president, is being treated for a lung infection
The officials who have visited Nelson Mandela in hospital since Saturday have all said he is doing well.
He was flown to hospital on Saturday from his home in Qunu village in Eastern Cape province by the military, which is responsible for his healthcare.
Local media reported that the decision to move him was taken so quickly that some family members and his own foundation were initially unaware of it.
But Mac Maharaj has repeatedly said that Nelson Mandela is doing well in hospital and there is no cause for alarm.
Nelson Mandela was last admitted to hospital in February when he was treated for abdominal pain.
In January 2011, he was treated for a serious chest infection.
While in prison in the 1980s, Nelson Mandela was also diagnosed with tuberculosis.
Nelson Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has been rarely seen in public since.
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Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, who is living at the Ecuadorean embassy in London, has a chronic lung infection “which could get worse at any moment”, Ana Alban, Ecuador’s ambassador to the UK, has warned.
Ana Alban said Julian Assange, who is fighting UK efforts to send him to Sweden, was suffering from living “in a confined space”.
Ecuador previously sought assurances he would not be arrested if hospitalized.
The UK said then it would not prevent “any medical care that he requires”.
Australian Julian Assange, 41, who has taken refuge at the embassy since June, was granted asylum by Ecuador in August.
Julian Assange, who has breached bail conditions by staying there, faces arrest if he leaves.
He is wanted for questioning in Sweden over rape and sexual assault allegations, which he denies, and was arrested in the UK on an extradition warrant.
“Mr. Assange, as everyone knows, is in a confined space,” Ana Alban said.
“Not only does the embassy have few windows but the city is also dark at this time – we have very little daylight in London.
“He is exposed to any health consequences from this lack of sunlight and lack of fresh air.”
Julian Assange, who is living at the Ecuadorean embassy in London, has a chronic lung infection which could get worse at any moment
Ana Alban said Julian Assange received visitors after embassy staff finished work.
“We work until at least 05:30 in the afternoon and, afterwards, he meets with certain people who want to visit him for different reasons whether they be activists, supporters, lawyers or friends.”
The ambassador said Ecuador was “waiting for a meeting” with either UK Foreign Secretary William Hague or UK Home Secretary Theresa May to discuss Julian Assange’s future.
Last month, Ecuadorean ministers said Julian Assange had “visibly lost weight” and that his health was “beginning to be jeopardized”.
Julian Assange’s Wikileaks website has published leaked sensitive diplomatic cables involving various countries, including the US.
In 2010, two women accused him of committing sexual offences against them while he was in Stockholm to give a lecture.
Julian Assange says the sex was consensual and that he believes the case to be politically motivated.
He says he fears being passed on to authorities in the US if extradited to Sweden.
But Swedish prosecutors have dismissed Julian Assange’s claims their case is part of a wider political move to see him stand trial in the US over his work with Wikileaks.
Lindsay Lohan was reportedly assaulted in her room at the W Hotel in Manhattan early Sunday morning.
A police source tells local NBC 4 News Lindsay Lohan, 26, was involved in an argument with a 25-year-old man she met at a nightclub before bringing him back to her room, where a group of friends was present.
An argument between the pair is believed to have stemmed over photos the man took of the actress on his mobile phone while at the W Hotel in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village.
According to NBCNewYork.com, Lindsay Lohan met the unnamed male at Manhattan’s popular 1OAK nightclub in the city’s Chelsea neighborhood.
She is said to have later taken the man to her room on the 15th floor of the nearby W Hotel.
Police sources tell the website “Lohan took the man’s cell phone from him and then he punched her” after the alleged photo incident.
The actress “also told detectives he choked her”, according to the website.
Lindsay Lohan is said to have pulled the fire alarm at the hotel and fled from her room following the scuffle.
The male, who has yet to be identified, was being held at Manhattan’s 13th precinct awaiting charges at press time, NBC reports.
The alleged incident comes less than a week after Lindsay Lohan was rushed to hospital after suffering from a bad lung infection.
According to TMZ, Lindsay Lohan had suffered with a case of “walking pneumonia” but her condition apparently deteriorated, causing her to seek medical attention.
The actress was reportedly taken to the emergency room at Mount Sinai Hospital where she received treatment, including antibiotics.
She was discharged shortly afterwards and is said to be recovering.
British experts have found that vitamin D could help the body fight infections of deadly tuberculosis.
Nearly 1.5 million people are killed by the infection every year and there are concerns some cases are becoming untreatable.
A study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed patients recovered more quickly when given both the vitamin and antibiotics.
More tests would be needed before it could be given to patients routinely.
British experts have found that vitamin D could help the body fight infections of deadly tuberculosis
The idea of using vitamin D, also known as sunshine vitamin, to treat tuberculosis (TB) harks back to some of the earliest treatments for the lung infection.
Before antibiotics were discovered, TB patients were prescribed “forced sunbathing”, known as heliotherapy, which increased vitamin D production.
However, the treatment disappeared when antibiotics proved successful at treating the disease.
This study on 95 patients, conducted at hospitals across London, combined antibiotics with vitamin D pills.
It showed that recovery was almost two weeks faster when vitamin D was added. Patients who stuck to the regimen cleared the infection in 23 days on average, while it took patients 36 days if they were given antibiotics and a dummy sugar pill.
Dr. Adrian Martineau, from Queen Mary University of London, said: “This isn’t going to replace antibiotics, but it may be a useful extra weapon.
“It looks promising, but we need slightly stronger evidence.”
Trials in more patients, as well as studies looking at the best dose and if different forms of vitamin D are better, will be needed before the vitamin could be used by doctors.
Vitamin D appears to work by calming inflammation during the infection. An inflammatory response is an important part of the body’s response to infection.
During TB infection, it breaks down some of the scaffolding in the lungs letting more infection-fighting white blood cells in. However, this also creates tiny cavities in the lungs in which TB bacteria can camp out.
“If we can help these cavities to heal more quickly, then patients should be infectious for a shorter period of time, and they may also suffer less lung damage,” Dr. Adrian Martineau said.
The doctors suggested this might also help in other lung diseases such as pneumonia and sepsis.
One in three people have low levels of tuberculosis bacteria in their lungs and have no symptoms, known as latent tuberculosis. However, this would turn to full blown TB in about 10% of people.
