Foreign media outlets have slightly scaled-down their watch outside the Pretoria Heart Hospital as news on Nelson Mandela's health remains unchanged, and expectations shift to his discharge this week.

There were fewer journalists stationed the hospital on Monday night as some foreign outlets, especially from non-English-speaking countries, scaled down their presence or abandoned the watch entirely.

Remaining crews said the continuing lack of real news on Mandela's health, after a hospital stay of a week and a half for a recurring lung infection, reduced interest in updates from the countries they serve.

But cameras remained poised outside both the hospital and Mandela's home in Houghton, some connected to constant satellite links, to enable television stations to switch to their feeds at a moment's notice.

The general expectation is now that Mandela could be discharged from hospital to return home during the course of the week – although that sentiment is based on very little fact.

The presidency and Mandela family continued to provide very little detail on the elderly statesman's health, to the point of not formally confirming which hospital he is in.

Mandela's daughter Zenani on Monday said he is "doing very well", and a statement from his wife Graça Machel expressed gratitude for an outpouring of well-wishes during his hospital stay.

On Monday, individuals and small groups continued to add to the cards, placards, balloons and small bunches of flowers that have created a wall of well-wishes outside the service entrance to the hospital.

Some passers-by used the wall as a backdrop for photographs of themselves, much as various television crews did for live updates.

Security remained tight, with police searching vehicles entering the facility.