Ariel Sharon's health deteriorating

Former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon's condition is worsening and his family is by his side, CNN reported Thursday.

"In the last few hours there has been a deterioration in Ariel Sharon's medical condition," said Michael Schwartz, a spokesperson for the Sheba Medical Center, where the comatose former Israeli prime minister is being treated, in Tel Hashomer, Israel. "He continues to be in critical condition."

Earlier this week, the centre's director, Zeev Rotstein, had said doctors were unable to stabilise Sharon's kidney function and other vital systems and that the danger to Sharon's life "has grown." The 85-year-old has been in a coma for eight years and is suffering from multiple organ failure. News broke last week that his health had recently worsened.