President George Abela is expected to be kept in hospital overnight for observation after he collapsed this morning.

A spokesman for the Office of the President said that Dr Abela had been working tirelessly, especially because of the forthcoming l-istrina, and he was exhausted.

This morning he suffered a drop in blood pressure and was briefly unconscious but he recovered quickly as he was rushed to hospital in an ambulance.

Medical tests, including tests for A H1N1, showed that he was not suffering from anything serious, but he will be kept under observation.

Dr Abela collapsed during the funeral of entrepreneur Angelo Fenech at St George parish church in Qormi.

An eyewitness said there was a lot of commotion as the President was taken out of the Church through a side door. Dr Abela was conscious by that time. He was on a wheelchair and was seen touching his forehead.

The political parties issued statements to wish Dr Abela a speedy recovery.

Dr Tonio Borg, who is Acting Prime Minister, visited Dr Abela in hospital this afternoon. Opposition leader Joseph Muscat was in touch with the Office of the President but Dr Abela was advised not to receive visitors.

The Office of the Presidents thanked all those, in Malta and abroad, who sent their best wishes.