Zimbabwean officials have dismissed reports that President Robert Mugabe was seriously ill in Singapore.
They said he was well and on holiday there with his family, and was expected to return home this week.
The 88-year-old president has been the subject of several health scares in recent years, with some reports saying he has prostate cancer.
In February interviews with state media, Mr Mugabe laughed off suggestions that he was seriously ill.
Two senior officials from Mugabe's ZANU-PF party today angrily denied reports that he was undergoing intensive treatment in a Singapore hospital and was fighting for his life.
The officials said he was on a private holiday to Singapore.
"The president is well and away on a private holiday to help his daughter prepare for post-graduate studies, but we are expecting him home this week," said one of the two officials, who declined to be named.
"But some sick and malicious people are spreading false stories about him being seriously ill while others are saying he is dead or dying out there," he added.
Asked whether the president had also used his 10-day visit to Singapore for a medical check-up, one of the officials said: "We are not going to be engaged over rumours, speculation and wishful thinking."
Mr Mugabe has made frequent visits to Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.
A terse Zimbabwean government statement saying a weekly cabinet meeting set for today had been postponed to Thursday had fed the rash of media speculation about the president's health. Mr Mugabe usually chairs cabinet meetings.
The officials declined to give details about the exact timing of Mr Mugabe's return, citing security reasons, but one said the president was expected to chair the rescheduled cabinet session on Thursday.
Mr Mugabe, who celebrated his 88th birthday on 21 February, was endorsed by his party as its presidential candidate for a general election he wants to be held before the end of this year despite opposition from his major political rivals.
