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.
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Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
5 comments
Commander Super Elvis
August 24, 2024 at 9:44 pm
I hope Fauci is not carrying that Monkey Pox homertestical flu too.
Other than that,
Y’all Dook 4 Brains Leftys need to just do the right thing and join ME, SUPER ELVIS, by voting Trump….come on y’all lets all just do the right thing and get on board with “The Good Guys ….. y’all know you want to.
Thank you, Commander Super Elvis, [FKA The Sage EARL PITTS AMERICAN],
ELVIS
Commander Super Elvis
August 24, 2024 at 9:46 pm
….. then you can, one & all, know the Sweet Sweet JOY which comes by Relaxingbl Your Political Sphincters.
ELVIS
Commander Super Elvis
August 24, 2024 at 9:53 pm
….. big Bull Of The Woods Fingers, tiny keyboard, ELVIS will not tolerate anyb”SPELL CHECK KARENS”
*unless, of course if its you, The Beautiful Miss Grundy, my 10th Grade English Teacher…Girl you can Spell-Check ELVIS anytime…several times a day….anytime!!!, ELVIS
Day 35
August 25, 2024 at 9:54 am
I have no respect for that political pawn.
Delusions
August 25, 2024 at 1:48 pm
He is lucky. It could have been space poxs with we can’t cure
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