Yasser Arafat caught the flu

A Tunisian medical team was en route to the West Bank to examine &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/world/2003/01/30/42787.html ' target=_blank>Yasser Arafat, who has been suffering from the flu, a Tunisian diplomat said Saturday.

Palestinian officials have insisted that Arafat has recovered in recent days and that he is even observing the dawn-to-dusk fast of the Muslim holy month of &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/world/2000/12/19/1546.html ' target=_blank>Ramadan. However, they have been reluctant to discuss his health in detail, says CTV News.

"An Egyptian medical team has fully examined President Arafat and the test results showed that the president is well. The president suffered from minor illness which is acute flu," said an Arafat aide, Nabil Abu Rdainah.

"The medical checks that will be done by the Tunisian team will be more routine," he said.

Palestinian sources said Arafat had suffered from a high fever and nausea, forcing him to cancel several meetings and miss prayers at the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan a week ago, informs Reuters.

According to the Jerusalem Post, Hani al-Hassan, a top Fatah leader closely associated with Arafat, dismissed reports that Arafat was seriously ill as "Israeli propaganda."