Parliamentary Secretary Mario Galea has been hospitalised suffering from a bout of pneumonia, the government said yesterday.
He was taken to hospital yesterday and is being kept under observation.
Labour whip Joe Mizzi told Parliament yesterday he would not be voting in the House while Mr Galea was away for medical reasons.
Mr Mizzi had apologised to Mr Galea last month, over an alcohol-related comment he had made about him during a TV breakfast show. The comment was in connection with a parliamentary vote on the controversial Delimara power station extension when Mr Galea had mistakenly voted with Labour, supporting a motion condemning the government's handling of the contract.
In an interview with The Sunday Times following the show, Mr Galea regretted the comment and asked for an apology, while revealing that he suffers from depression.