Zambia denies reports President Sata was treated in U.S.

Zambia's President Michael Chilufya Sata waits to address the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. headquarters in New York, September 24, 2013

Zambian President Michael Sata's health is "entirely normal", Vice President Guy Scott told parliament on Friday, countering reports the ailing 77-year-old had received medical treatment in the United States this week.

A diplomat at the United Nations in New York told Reuters Sata had been treated by doctors in his hotel room during his visit to the annual meeting of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly.

However, Scott disputed the speculation about the health of the southern African nation's leader, which grew after he missed his planned speech at the U.N. general assembly on Wednesday.

"The health of the president is entirely normal. I spoke to the president this morning. He has not received any emergency or specialist medical treatment," Scott told lawmakers in Lusaka.

Sata's son Mulenga, who is mayor of Lusaka, said his father would issue a statement in "due course" because of the "unfortunate reports being circulated concerning his health".

Concern about Sata's health has been mounting since June, when he disappeared from public eye without any explanation and was then reported to be getting medical treatment in Israel.

At the opening of parliament last week, his first major public appearance in three months, Sata joked with lawmakers, telling them "I am not dead".

Sata suffered a heart attack in 2008 and his opponents said he collapsed during a six-week election campaign in 2011, a report he denied.