Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak will not go to an African Union summit after officials had cited his planned attendance as proof of his good health.
State media reported Saturday that Mubarak had delegated Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif to represent Egypt at the summit in Uganda, which is expected to address the sensitive issue of sharing Nile waters.
In effort to discount intensifying rumors over the 82-year-old's deteriorating health, government officials on July 14 cited the president's packed schedule, including the African summit, as evidence of his continuing vigor.
On Wednesday, Presidential spokesman Suleiman Awwad again dismissed reports Mubarak was ill and said his staff were "out of breath" trying to keep up with his schedule.
Last Sunday, the Washington Times reported that U.S. and European intelligence agencies believe Mubarak is terminally ill.
According to the Washington Times report, Mubarak is suffering, in all likelihood, from pancreatic and stomach cancer, and has about one year left to live.
In March, Mubarak underwent a back operation in Germany to correct a slipped disk.
It has been rare for Egyptian state media to report on Mubarak's health, but since his trip to Germany there have been regular updates, apparently broadcast to reassure Egyptians that the president was not seriously ill.
Last November, Mubarak interrupted a speech to parliament for 30 minutes, suffering a cold and a slight drop in blood pressure.