Film legend Elizabeth Taylor is in “good spirits” and feeling stronger every day, but will stay in hospital for the time being, a spokesman said, two weeks after a heart scare.

In an update, the spokesman denied the 78-year-old had suffered a heart attack or a stroke.

The actress was hospitalised at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles two weeks ago, suffering from “symptoms caused by congestive heart failure, an ongoing condition,” her publicist said.

Spokesman Jamie Cadwell said Ms Taylor’s doctors “continue to be encouraged by her progress. She will stay in the hospital for now, so they can continue to observe her.

“She is in good spirits and continues to feel stronger every day. To clarify, she has not had a heart attack, a stroke or any kind of heart surgery,” he added.

Ms Taylor’s health has been the subject of intense speculation in recent years. In 1997, she underwent surgery to have a brain tumour removed and she appeared on US television in 2006 to deny rumours she had Alzheimer’s disease.

In July 2008, she was hospitalised in Los Angeles but her spokesman denied reports that she was close to death and had been placed on life support. In 2009, she underwent heart surgery to repair a “leaky valve,” tweeting afterward: “It’s like having a brand new ticker.”

Her publicist has said Ms Taylor is receiving the best medical treatment possible.

“Friends and fans around the world should be reassured that Elizabeth Taylor is in good hands and receiving the best possible care from her skilled and dedicated doctors and nurses,” she said last week.