Former-First Lady Barbara Bush declines medical treatment

Barbara Bush, the US former first lady, has declined further medical treatment for her "failing health" and the 92-year-old will spend her time in "comfort care", a family spokesman has said.

She has been on oxygen for some time, spokesman Jim McGrath said.

The statement did not indicate the nature of Bush's illness but said that she had had a series of recent hospitalisations. "Following a recent series of hospitalisations, and after consulting her family and doctors, Mrs Bush has decided not to seek additional medical treatment and will instead focus on comfort care," McGrath said.