Maradona's health continuing to improve

BUENOS AIRES: Ailing Argentine football hero Diego Maradona was continuing to improve from hepatitis brought on by alcohol abuse, one week after being hospitalised, a Guemes Clinic source said.

The 46-year-old "is maintaining good progress regarding the toxic alcohol hepatitis and is continuing to take the prescribed psychoactive drugs", the source at the private clinic said.

The former footballer, kept largely under sedation, has had "a few moments of agitation from alcoholic abstinence which have been reduced over the last 24 hours".

During the day, Maradona woke up "three or four times" and demanded the presence of his personal doctor, Alfredo Cahe, to whom he told he wanted to leave the clinic.

According to another clinic source, Maradona has not been left with family members for the last two nights.

"The goal is that he rest and that he doesn't change and doesn't become nervous with his loved ones," said the source, quoted by the Telam news agency.

Maradona's personal doctor said on Monday that the former Boca Juniors, Barcelona and Napoli star would have to stay two weeks in bed.

He has suffered from chronic hepatitis since he contracted hepatitis B in 1991, while he played for Barcelona.

Maradona, who suffered a heart attack in 2004 following a cocaine overdose, was rushed to the hospital from his parents' house last week with unknown symptoms.

Days before that, Cahe had said Maradona might leave for Switzerland for treatment after his weight had again ballooned.