The family of France’s former President Jacques Chirac have dismissed rumors in the media about his death, saying he is still receiving treatment in the hospital for lung infection. Chirac’s son-in-law, Frederic Salat-Baroux, said on Wednesday that the former French president was being treated under the supervision of medical teams with “exceptional quality,” adding that the 83-year-old had not died.

Salat-Baroux, who is the husband of Chirac’s daughter, Claude, called on the media to stop circulating rumors about Chirac’s death and respect the “tranquility” of the former president’s family. Early on Wednesday, former housing minister, Christine Boutin, tweeted “Mort de #Chirac” (death of #Chirac), sparking rumors that he had died following a visit to Morocco. The veteran politician reportedly cut short his holiday trip to the North African country after he reportedly fell ill and returned to Paris on board two jets provided by Moroccan King Mohammed VI. He was admitted to Pitie-Salpetriere hospital on Sunday.

Chirac’s health began to deteriorate when he suffered a stroke during his second term in office in 2005. He was hospitalized for two weeks in December 2015 over what his family described as fatigue. Close friends said recently that he had improved. Chirac’s health issues forced French prosecutors to cancel his appearance in a court hearing in 2011, which was part of a corruption trial. Boutin, who sparked the rumor about the death of Chirac, is known in the French media for her controversial remarks. She was convicted in 2015 over his designation of homosexuality as an “abomination.”

The center-right Chirac was the president of France from 1995 to 2007 and is best known for his fierce opposition to the US invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Presstv