George Bush Sr hospitalised for ‘short breath’

George Bush, the 41st president of the United States, has been hospitalised at Houston Methodist Hospital for “shortness of breath”.

The first and eldest president from the popular Bush family is reported by CNN to have been admitted since Saturday.

Jim McGrath, his spokesperson, said the 92-year-old was “responding well to treatments and will be released from the hospital soon”.

Jean Becker, Bush’s chief of staff, told the Houston Chronicle and news station KHOU that Bush was “doing fine”.

Bush, who served a single-term as president from 1988 to 1992, has been facing a series of health challenges, and is not expected to attend the inauguration of Donald Trump, who is due to become the 45th president of the nation on Friday.

Bush was also hospitalised for the same health issue in December 2014, but was discharged a few days later.

The Republican served as the 41st president of US, and is the father of the 43rd president, George W. Bush.

During World War II and aged 18, Bush senior joined the US Navy following the attacks on Pearl Harbor, where he became a naval aviator after graduating from Phillips Academy.

He succeeded President Ronald Reagan in 1989 after a successful campaign as his vice-president.

Before going into politics, Bush co-founded Zapata Offshore Company, an oil company that specialises in offshore drilling.