Syria's presidential media office denied on Friday recent rumors circulated on several news outlets that President Bashar al-Assad is in a critical condition after suffering a stroke.

In a short statement, the presidential media office said the reports are completely untrue, stressing that the president's health is "excellent" and is carrying out his job as usual.

It added that the rumors will not affect the Syrians, because "they have become immune against such lies."

The statement said that the rumors were "hopes in the imagination of those who made it up," adding that it comes amid the change in the political and field situation.

Several media outlets and Facebook pages circulated a report stating that Assad had suffered a stroke and that he was being treated in one of Damascus' high-end hospitals.

source: Xinhua