Ramos checks out of hospital

Ramos checks out of hospital

MANILA (Reuter): Philippine President Fidel Ramos, seeking to dispel reports he had suffered a stroke, danced with nurses at a Christmas party before checking out of a hospital yesterday after two days of tests, his office said.

"Back to work," an aide quoted Ramos as saying as he left Manila's Makati Medical Center after being treated for what doctors said was a throat infection.

Ramos, a 68-year-old workaholic, was admitted to the hospital last Thursday night. He checked himself out last Friday to host a dinner for Prince Henri of Luxembourg and returned to the hospital on Friday evening for further tests and treatment.

Several Manila newspapers reported he had suffered a mild stroke. Hospital medical director Raul Fores denied the reports and said Ramos only suffered from a throat infection. But Fores said the president needed to slow down.