The health of former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff improved substantially after he was readmitted to hospital this week.

Sources said Mr Mintoff, 94, may be even discharged from Mater Dei Hospital early this week.

He was readmitted suffering from shortness of breath on Wednesday after he was discharged from hospital just two days earlier.

He is thought to be suffering from aspiration pneumonia, an infection of the lungs caused by breathing foreign materials, usually food or liquids, into the lungs.

During his last stay, Mr Mintoff’s medical team said he was suffering from a number of conditions common with the elderly, including congestive heart failure, an irregular heartbeat and high blood pressure.

The former fiery premier has been in and out of hospital these past months.

On September 16, Mr Mintoff was admitted to Mater Dei’s intensive care unit in a confused state, after having suffered a light stroke.

After spending a week in intensive care, he was moved to a medical ward and discharged from hospital a week later, only to be re-admitted after two months to the Coronary Care Unit with heart failure and dehydration.

Mr Mintoff served as a Prime Minister twice between 1955 and 1958, when Malta was still a British colony, and again, post-Independence, from 1971 to 1984.

Mr Mintoff was an MP for over 50 years until 1998.