Lusaka- Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, unfounded rumours of whose death left international media and political leaders with egg on their face Thursday, was due to undergo further tests as a military hospital in Paris Friday, a government spokesman said.

Mwanawasa suffered a stroke at the African Union in Sharm el- Sheikh, Egypt last weekend and was flown to Paris on Tuesday for treatment.

The 59-year-old leader, who has a history of hypertension, was in stable condition Friday after spending a comfortable night, Information Minister Mike Mulongoti said.

The government was awaiting further information on his condition from doctors at Percy-Clamart hospital outside Paris following further tests later Friday.

On Thursday, South African and international news sites were rife with reports that Mwanawasa had died, after sources in Zambia and South Africa reported information to that effect. One South African newspaper ran the story on the front page of its afternoon edition.

The Zambian government later rejected the reports out of hand, saying he was still very much alive.

South African President Thabo Mbeki was one of the victims of the misinformation.

After being told by a senior Mozambican official from the Southern African Development Community that Mwanawasa had died Mbeki announced the news to the public at an official function and called for a minute's silence.

He later apologized publicly for the blunder.

Zambia's High Commissioner to South Africa, Leslie Mbula, said Mbeki spoke with him by telephone last night and expressed remorse for the error. (dpa)