The health of President Emeritus Guido de Marco has continued to improve, four days after he was placed under intensive care.

In an update from Mater Dei Hospital yesterday morning, his medical team said he was responding well to treatment.

Prof. de Marco, 79, went to hospital on Thursday morning for a scheduled angioplasty, not his first, to widen an obstructed heart artery. The moment he was about to undergo this procedure he developed complications.

But on Friday he defied medical expectations when he was brought round from an induced coma and started communicating and responding to treatment.

Comments urging the “Lionheart” to fight this battle have not stopped coming in and timesofmalta.com has been deluged with words of encouragement, admiration and prayer for the former President.

In fact, sources said his morale was very high thanks to the support shown by people: “Reading and hearing all the words of encouragement from so many well-wishers really boosted his spirits.”