JOHANNESBURG: Nelson Mandela was comfortable and breathing without difficulty on his third day in hospital after the anti-apartheid hero was treated for pneumonia, South Africa’s presidency said yesterday.
Messages of concern for the ailing 94-year-old, one of the towering figures of modern history, have poured in since his admission late Wednesday for what was confirmed as “a recurrence of pneumonia”.
Mandela had a build-up of fluid that had developed from a lung infection, known as a pleural effusion or “water on the lungs”, drained from his chest. “This has resulted in him now being able to breathe without difficulty,” said President Jacob Zuma’s office said in a statement. “He continues to respond to treatment and is comfortable.” There were no details on how long he would remain at an undisclosed hospital.
Afp
