Nelson Mandela update: ‘further improvement’ as he spends Easter in the hospital
Former South African president Nelson Mandela is pictured during a meeting with Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown (not pictured) at his hotel, in central London, on June 24, 2008.
As millions of Christians worldwide said prayers at Easter Sunday services for former South African President Nelson Mandela, the South African government said his doctors reported he was continuing to improve.
More from GlobalPost: Nelson Mandela breathing 'without difficulty' on 3rd day in hospital
Mandela, 94, was hospitalized in Pretoria on Wednesday to receive treatment for a recurrance of pneumonia.
In a statement, the office of President Jacob Zuma said Mandela “had a restful day” in the hospital today.
It added that the government was "satisfied that the doctors are providing the former president with the best medical care possible to enable his recovery and comfort.”
Zuma’s office also thanked “all people at home and around the world, who continue to keep Madiba and his family in their thoughts and to show their love and support in various ways.”
Mandela’s current hospitalization is his third since December, when he was treated for a lung infection, the Associated Press reported.
According to the AP:
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate has been particularly vulnerable to respiratory problems since contracting tuberculosis during his 27-year imprisonment for fighting white racist rule in his country.