Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former top US infectious disease expert, was hospitalized for a week after contracting the West Nile virus. He is currently at home recovering, a spokesman confirmed on Saturday, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Mr. Fauci is expected to make a full recovery, he added.
West Nile virus is usually spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. While most people experience no symptoms, about 1 in 5 people may experience fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, or a rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among 1 in 150 infected people, the disease appears with serious symptoms, sometimes fatal.
The main medical correspondent of the TV network 'CBS News', Dr. Jonathan LaPook wrote in a post on social media that he had spoken on Saturday with Mr. Fauci, who had told him that he had likely been infected in his backyard by a mosquito bite.
“Dr. Fauci was admitted to the hospital about ten days ago with fever, chills and severe fatigue,” the reporter's post on X said. It said Mr. Fauci had been in the hospital for a week.
There is no vaccine to prevent West Nile virus or medicine to treat it. For this year as of August 20, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recorded 216 cases in 33 states. The best way to prevent lice is to avoid mosquito bites.
As the White House's top health adviser, Mr. Fauci was the government's public face during the COVID-19 pandemic, a role that made him a trusted voice for millions, but also a target of political attack.
He left government in 2022, but in June was called before Congress to testify as part of the Republicans' multi-year investigation into the origins of COVID-19 and the American response to the disease.
