MILAN (Reuters) – Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been in hospital since Tuesday afternoon for check-ups, two sources from his Forza Italia party said on Wednesday.
One of the sources said the 84-year-old media tycoon went to the San Raffaele hospital in Milan for follow-up tests after contracting the new coronavirus in September last year.
This is the second time in just a few weeks that Berlusconi finds himself in hospital after another routine check-up at the end of March. Forza Italia said at the time he had been admitted for clinical monitoring and adjustment to an ongoing therapy.
Berlusconi, who underwent major heart surgery in 2016 and has also survived prostate cancer, was also admitted to hospital in January this year because of heart problems.
Shares in Mediaset, the broadcaster controlled by the Berlusconi family, were up 0.8% by 0930 GMT, compared with a flat Milan blue-chip index.
Traders had previously cited speculation about potential ownership changes at the group if Berlusconi’s condition worsened.
(Reporting by Angelo Amante, writing by Agnieszka Flak; Editing by Crispian Balmer and Timothy Heritage)
