German reports of his demise appear to be an exaggeration. In fact, former president George Bush Sr seems to be on the mend and has been moved from intensive care to a regular patient room, his spokesman has confirmed.
The news comes amid red faces at the respected German news weekly Der Spiegel, which mistakenly ran an online obituary for the 88-year-old, albeit only for a short period of time.
The unfinished obituary lasted just a few minutes on the website before it was taken down. In it, the magazine's New York correspondent Marc Pitzke described Bush as a "colourless politician" whose image only improved when it was compared to the presidency of his son, George W Bush.
The magazine later tweeted its explanation of how the error had occurred.
"All newsrooms prepare obituaries for selected figures," the magazine said on its Twitter feed, adding: "The fact that the one for Bush senior went live was a technical mistake. Sorry!"
In any event, the obit may come as uncomfortable bedside reading for the man himself, who is seemingly on his way to recovery.
In a statement Saturday, spokesman Jim McGrath said: "President Bush's condition has improved, so he has been moved from the intensive care unit to a regular patient room at The Methodist Hospital to continue his recovery."
The former president has been in hospital since 23 November, when he was admitted for a lingering cough related to bronchitis.
Last week, a fever that had kept Bush in the hospital over Christmas worsened, with doctors putting the ailing politician on a liquids-only diet.
But since then, his spokesman has charted a steady recovery though statements to the press.
