Dr. Anthony Fauci speaks at the Lincoln Theater on June 21 in Washington, DC.
Jose Luis Magana/AP
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Jose Luis Magana/AP
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former top U.S. infectious disease expert, has been hospitalized after contracting West Nile virus and is now recovering at home, a spokesman confirmed Saturday.
Fauci is expected to make a full recovery, said the spokesperson, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of security concerns.
West Nile virus is usually spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. While most people don’t experience symptoms, about 1 in 5 people may develop a fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 1 in 150 people who are infected develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness.
CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jonathan LaPook wrote in a social media post that he spoke with Fauci on Saturday, who said he likely contracted the disease from a mosquito bite in his backyard.
“Dr. Fauci was hospitalized approximately ten days ago after experiencing fever, chills, and severe fatigue,” the post on X said. The post said Fauci had been in the hospital for a week.
As the White House’s chief medical adviser, Fauci has been the public face of the U.S. government during the COVID-19 pandemic, a role that has made him a trusted voice for millions and a target of partisan anger. leave government in 2022 but returned before Congress in June to testify as part of a years-long Republican investigation about the origins of COVID-19 and the U.S. response to the disease.
Last summer, Fauci joined the faculty at Georgetown University as a distinguished professor.
There is no vaccine to prevent West Nile disease or treatment. As of August 20, the CDC has recorded 216 cases in 33 states this year. The best prevention is to avoid mosquito bites.
