Dr Fauci said he likely contracted the infection from a mosquito bite in his backyard. File | Photo credit: Reuters
“Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former top US infectious disease expert, spent time in the hospital after being infected with the West Nile virus and is now recovering at home,” a spokesperson confirmed on Saturday (August 24, 2024).
The spokesperson, who asked not to be named because of security concerns, said Dr. Fauci is expected to make a full recovery.
West Nile virus is usually spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. While most people don’t have symptoms, about 1 in 5 people may develop fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea or a rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 1 in 150 infected people develop a severe, sometimes fatal illness.
CBS News’ Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Jonathan LaPook wrote in a social media post that he spoke to Dr. Fauci on Saturday (August 24, 2024), who said he may have been infected from a mosquito bite in his backyard.
“Dr. Fauci was hospitalized approximately 10 days ago after experiencing a fever, chills, and severe fatigue,” the post on X said. It said Fauci spent a week in the hospital.
As the White House chief medical adviser, Dr. Fauci was the public face of the U.S. government during the Covid-19 pandemic, a role that made him a trusted voice for millions of people, as well as a target of partisan anger. He left the government in 2022 But he was back before Congress in June to testify as part of Republicans’ years-long investigation into the origins of Covid-19 and the U.S. response to the disease.
Dr. Fauci joined Georgetown University last summer as a Distinguished University Professor.
There is no vaccine to prevent West Nile or any medicine to treat it. As of August 20, the CDC had reported 216 cases in 33 states this year. It is best to prevent it by avoiding mosquito bites.