UPDATE - Italy's Berlusconi hospitalized again for 'planned checks'

UPDATES WITH DOCTORS' STATEMENT, DETAILS AND BACKGROUND

By Giada Zampano

ROME (AA) – Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi returned to Milan's San Raffaele Hospital on Friday for “planned medical checks” related to his chronic leukemia, his doctors said in a statement.

The three-time premier and media mogul, 86, was discharged from the same hospital just three weeks ago after he was hospitalized for 45 days due to a lung infection linked to an undisclosed problem of leukemia.

"President Silvio Berlusconi is currently hospitalized at San Raffaele Hospital for scheduled tests in relation to his known hematological disease," Berlusconi's doctors Alberto Zangrillo and Fabio Ciceri said.

The doctors added that the checks had been moved up as part of a normal practice and did not imply any specific alarm.

Italian media reported that Berlusconi was expected to spend at least one night at the hospital. His oldest daughter Marina was seen reaching San Raffaele by car on Friday afternoon.

The center-right leader, who heads the ruling Forza Italia party, was expected to host a party meeting with his top allies on Saturday at his villa in Arcore, close to Milan.

The latest and repeated hospitalizations of Berlusconi have fueled speculations that his life could be in danger.

In recent years, the Italian leader has faced multiple health issues, including a heart attack in 2016 that his doctor said could have been fatal, as well as emergency bowel surgery in 2019.

In 2020, he suffered some complications linked to COVID-19, which he said was "the worst experience" in his entire life.