OAN Staff James Meyers
10:49 AM – Saturday, August 24, 2024
Anthony Fauci, former Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was hospitalized this month after contracting the West Nile virus and is now recovering at his home.
Advertisement
The 83-year-old was hospitalized for six days and is currently at home where he is recovering from the mosquito-borne disease, according to The Washington Post.
“A full recovery is expected,” his spokesperson said, the outlet reported.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the virus usually spreads when a mosquito bites infected birds and then bites people and other animals. West Nile virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the country, the agency said.
The West Nile virus sent 1,800 people to the hospital last year in the U.S., and was responsible for 182 deaths, according to the CDC.
The agency also stated that there have been 216 confirmed cases so far this year.
The mosquito-borne virus includes headaches, fever, vomiting and other symptoms, but an estimated 80% of those who have the virus experience no symptoms at all. Currently, there are known vaccines or treatments.
Meanwhile, Fauci retired as chief of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in 2022 after being in charge for almost 40 years. During the time of his departure he was the highest paid federal employee, with a $480,654 annual salary.
Fauci was known for calling for school closures during the pandemic, which he has since admitted was a mistake.
Additionally, he has denied repeatedly that the U.S., through his department within the National Institute of Health, funded gain-of-function research at China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology.
However, NIH principal deputy director Lawrence Tabak admitted to Congress that U.S. taxpayers did help fund it.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
Advertisements below