Earlier this month, Dr. Anthony Fauci was admitted to the hospital with West Nile virus and remained there for nearly a week before continuing his recovery at home, as confirmed by a spokesperson.
The 83-year-old former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) contracted the mosquito-borne illness but is anticipated to make a full recovery, according to a spokesperson who spoke to Fox News.
Dr. Fauci, a prominent figure in the COVID-19 response, led the NIAID for four decades and provided counsel to both former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden’s administrations during the pandemic before retiring in 2022.
“Tony Fauci has been hospitalized with a case of West Nile virus. He is now home and is recovering.”
“A full recovery is expected,” the spokesperson said.
Since its arrival in the U.S. in 1999, West Nile virus has become the most prevalent mosquito-borne disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Symptoms may include fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, and rashes, but approximately 80% of those infected will not display any symptoms.
The CDC states that there are currently no vaccines or treatments available for the virus.
In 2020, Dr. Fauci emerged as a prominent figure in the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This drew criticism from Republican lawmakers due to his views on the origins of COVID-19 and his support for mask and vaccine mandates as well as lockdown policies.
During a hearing in January before the House Oversight Committee’s Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic, Fauci acknowledged that many of the restrictions during the COVID-19 era were likely not based on solid data or science but rather seemed to have been implemented without clear justification.
“After two days of testimony and 14 hours of questioning, many things became evident,” Republican Ohio Rep. Brad Wenstrup, Chairman of the subcommittee, said in a statement after the hearing. “During his interview today, Dr. Fauci claimed that the policies and mandates he promoted may unfortunately increase vaccine hesitancy for years to come. He testified that the lab leak hypothesis — which was often suppressed — was, in fact, not a conspiracy theory. Further, the social distancing recommendations forced on Americans ‘sort of just appeared’ and were not likely based on scientific data.”
The ex-COVID-19 advisor consistently rejected the lab leak theories as conspiracy, even though the Biden administration allegedly halted a State Department investigation into the virus’s origins in 2021.
ICYMI: Gavin Newsom Mocks Democrats’ Installation of Kamala Harris After Biden’s Coup (VIDEO)
