Fabrice Muamba Making 'Encouraging Progress'

Muamba Making 'Encouraging Progress'
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Footballer Fabrice Muamba is making "encouraging progress" in his recovery from a cardiac arrest and has been able to "sit out of bed" and watch television, doctors have said.

The 23-year-old remains in intensive care in the London Chest Hospital, where his condition is described as "serious but stable", after collapsing during an FA Cup match with Tottenham on Saturday March 17.

A statement from Barts and the London NHS Trust and Bolton Wanderers Football Club said: "Fabrice Muamba remains in intensive care at the London Chest Hospital, where his condition is serious but stable.

"He continues to make encouraging progress in his recovery. Over the weekend, he has been able to sit out of bed for a short time, watch television and has begun to eat.

"However, he will need to continue to be closely monitored by the medical team at the London Chest for some time.

"His family requests that he receive no more visitors for the moment, outside of immediate family and members of Bolton Wanderers Football Club."

Bolton manager Owen Coyle revealed that Muamba watched his team-mates' 2-1 victory over Blackburn on Match Of The Day yesterday morning - but fell asleep when the score was 2-0.

Coyle also confirmed that a small delegation of Bolton players will visit Muamba in hospital ahead of tomorrow's rearranged FA Cup quarter-final at Tottenham.

The match promises to be another emotional occasion as it was at White Hart Lane that the former England under-21 international suffered his cardiac arrest.

Paramedics could not get Muamba's heart to start beating on its own for almost two hours after he collapsed on the pitch during the FA Cup tie.

He fell to the ground at White Hart Lane at 6.11pm in front of millions of television viewers.

Paramedics desperately tried to resuscitate him but were unable to get his heart working by itself again until he reached the London Chest Hospital, in Bethnal Green, east London, at 8pm.

The latest statement has repeated previous requests for non-family members and people connected with Bolton to refrain from visiting.