Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former top U.S. infectious disease expert, spent time in the hospital after being infected with West Nile virus and is now recovering at home, a spokesperson confirmed Saturday. Fauci is expected to make a full recovery, the spokesperson said on condition of anonymity due to security concerns.
Quick Read
- Dr. Anthony Fauci, former top U.S. infectious disease expert, was hospitalized with West Nile virus and is now recovering at home, according to a spokesperson.
- Fauci is expected to make a full recovery after spending a week in the hospital.
- West Nile virus, often spread through mosquito bites, can cause symptoms like fever, headache, and in rare cases, severe illness.
- Fauci believes he was infected by a mosquito bite in his backyard.
- As of August 20, the CDC has recorded 216 cases of West Nile virus across 33 states this year.
- Fauci, who left the government in 2022, now serves as a distinguished university professor at Georgetown University.
The Associated Press has the story:
Dr. Fauci was hospitalized with West Nile virus and is now recovering at home
Newslooks- (AP)
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former top U.S. infectious disease expert, spent time in the hospital after being infected with West Nile virus and is now recovering at home, a spokesperson confirmed Saturday. Fauci is expected to make a full recovery, the spokesperson said on condition of anonymity due to security concerns.
West Nile virus is commonly spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. While most people don’t experience symptoms, about 1 in 5 can develop a fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 1 out of 150 infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness.
CBS News’ chief medical correspondent, Dr. Jonathan LaPook, wrote in a social media post that he spoke Saturday with Fauci, who said he was likely infected from a mosquito bite that he got in his backyard. “Dr. Fauci was hospitalized about ten days ago after developing fever, chills, and severe fatigue,” the post on X said. It said Fauci spent a week in the hospital.
As chief White House medical adviser, Fauci was the public face of the U.S. government during the COVID-19 pandemic, a role that made him both a trusted voice to millions and also the target of partisan anger. He left the government in 2022 but was back before Congress in June to testify as part of Republicans’ yearslong investigation into the origins of COVID-19 and the U.S. response to the disease.
Fauci last summer joined the faculty at Georgetown University as a distinguished university professor. There are no vaccines to prevent West Nile, or medicines to treat it. As of Aug. 20, the CDC had recorded 216 cases in 33 states this year. It’s best prevented by avoiding mosquito bites.
