Israel's Sharon moved out of intensive care

Former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon has been moved out of an intensive care unit after treatment for a heart infection…

Former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon has been moved out of an intensive care unit after treatment for a heart infection.

"His heart function has improved after being treated for an infection and his overall condition has stabilised," Sheba Medical Centre, a facility near Tel Aviv, said in a statement.

Mr Sharon (78), was taken from the hospital's respiratory rehabilitation ward to its intensive care unit on Friday after developing the infection.

He has been comatose since suffering a brain haemorrhage on January 4th. Comatose victims of strokes are often prone to infections, and those in the heart are particularly severe.

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Elected prime minister in 2001, Mr Sharon was replaced by Ehud Olmert after his stroke and ahead of a national election won by the centrist Kadima party, which the former general founded and Mr Olmert now leads.