Former Taiwan regional leader Lee Teng-hui File Photo: CNSPhoto

A Taipei hospital has dismissed rumors claiming that former Taiwan leader Lee Teng-hui has died after he choked while drinking milk in February, saying he is still under treatment.

Rumors of Lee's death began circulating on Tuesday, and were fueled by media reports that Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen and her deputy Lai Ching-te had called off their original plans and visited Lee in hospital.

The Taipei Veterans General Hospital said on Wednesday that Lee is not in ideal health, but he is under treatment, and is not as bad as some have speculated, local media reported. 

Taiwan media reported that Lee's office has ordered the hospital not to reveal Lee's information, and the hospital itself also said it is not able to disclose patients' private details.

Local media reported that Lee is in a coma and his health condition is "not good."

As Lee's health has been deteriorating, rumors about his death have repeatedly flared up in recent years. 

The 98-year-old former leader was admitted to the Taipei Veterans General Hospital in early February after choking while drinking a glass of milk. At the time, there were rumors that Lee had died and that he had contracted the coronavirus. 

The hospital later diagnosed him with pneumonia, but his condition has since

been described as "stable."

In late February, rumors circulated that Lee had died from the virus, after someone fabricated a screenshot of an announcement of Lee's death at a Taiwan heath authority news conference. The rumor was later refuted. 

In March, rumors emerged again claiming that Lee was brain dead, which Lee's office later confirmed to be false.