WORLD : Mandela, Battling Pneumonia, Flown to Hospital in Nairobi
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NAIROBI, Kenya — Nelson Mandela, suffering from pneumonia, was flown here today and whisked to a hospital after a low-key arrival ceremony.
The black nationalist leader’s condition was diagnosed as a slight case of pneumonia. He was flown from Ethiopia for treatment, according to The Star newspaper of Johannesburg. The 71-year-old Mandela had been attending the Organization of African Unity’s summit in Addis Ababa.
Mandela looked sick upon arriving in Kenya. Accompanied by his wife, Winnie, he walked slowly down the stairs to the runway, clutching the railing.
After greeting President Daniel Arap Moi and his Cabinet and waving to a small crowd of airport workers and security officials, Mandela climbed with Moi into the president’s limousine and was driven away. Winnie Mandela left in a separate vehicle.
The Star said the African National Congress leader caught a cold while in Ireland and it developed into pneumonia. The paper quoted aides as saying the pneumonia was slight and there was no cause for alarm.
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