The European Commission's President Ursula von der Leyen is still ill, but is expected to return to duty "by the end of the week", says her chief spokesperson Paula Pinho.
Sharp criticism has been directed at the Commission for not confirming until Friday that the 66-year-old von der Leyen had been hospitalized for the pneumonia she has been afflicted with.
Pinho, however, believes that the "most important information" about von der Leyen's health has been provided, including that she has been seriously ill.
But her ability to act has never been questioned. She has not been treated with a ventilator or received intensive care, says Pinho in Brussels.
