Former Smiths frontman Morrissey has canceled the rest of a US tour for health reasons, the second year running the moody British singer he has done so.
Morrissey appeared to blame his respiratory infection on Kristeen Young -- a young singer who has performed as his support act -- who promptly blasted the suggestion as bizarre and "lies."
The nine remaining canceled dates included one in New York at which British veteran Cliff Richard was due to join Morrissey.
"In the interest of making a full recovery, all further touring plans have been halted," the 55-year-old singer said on his Facebook page.
Morrissey was rushed to hospital in Boston after a show there on Saturday and was treated for "acute fever," according to a statement on his website true-to-you.net.
Difficulties arose in Miami on May 31st, it said, when Young caught what the site called "a horrendous cold" which she apparently passed on to Morrissey.
"For the good of all, Kristeen was asked to step down from the immediate upcoming shows, but instead she decided to leave the tour entirely," the statement said.
Young took to Facebook following the claim, saying: "I am very sorry that Morrissey is not feeling well. But I will not tolerate these lies… particularly about my health. This is really too much and bizarre."
Her post was cited by Rolling Stone magazine and other media, but was later deleted from her page.
She insisted she had suffered an allergy attack, not a cold, and said she had provided the tour with her doctor's contact details.
Last year Morrissey cancelled 22 dates of a US tour due to a string of medical problems, including double pneumonia, a bleeding ulcer and Barrett's esophagus, a rare condition.
Famous for hits in the 1980s with the Smiths including "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now", the prickly singer released his first solo album in 1988 and has followed it up with a further nine records.
Source: AFP