Karl Chircop to get treatment in UK

Labour MP Karl Chircop, who is in a coma after suffering a stroke early this month, will be flown to Britain tomorrow for further treatment after showing "positive signs", the Health Division said yesterday.

The 43-year-old has been receiving treatment at the Mater Dei Hospital's Intensive Therapy Unit. The Division gave no further details.

The country was shocked at the news that the parliamentarian had suffered a cerebral haemorrhage and fallen into a deep coma. Although the coma has since lightened, the father of four is still unconscious.

The division had originally described his condition as "precarious" but according to fellow MP and medical doctor Michael Farrugia, an improvement was registered some time later.

At around the same time, Dr Chircop's wife Adriana said her husband had "definitely improved" and that the situation was changing.

The Labour MP collapsed during the evening of August 3 when he went to the garage to wash the wheels of his car. Mrs Chircop had told The Times that although the children had already washed the car, her husband - whom she described as "a perfectionist" - decided to give them another scrub.

The Health Division said the Chircop family expressed its appreciation of the hospital staff, especially the ITU team, and thanked those who expressed solidarity with them.