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Anthony Fauci Hospitalized Following Positive West Nile Virus Test
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has been hospitalized after contracting the West Nile virus. According to a spokesperson, Fauci is now out of the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.
At 83 years old, Fauci led the NIAID for nearly 40 years before retiring in 2022. He gained widespread recognition as part of the White House Coronavirus Task Force and became a prominent figure during the pandemic, facing significant political scrutiny, especially from former President Donald Trump.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that West Nile virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne diseases in the continental United States. The virus is primarily transmitted to humans through bites from infected mosquitoes.
The season for West Nile virus typically runs from summer through fall when mosquito activity is highest. Currently, no vaccines or specific treatments exist for West Nile in humans. Most individuals infected with the virus remain asymptomatic. However, about one in five people exhibit symptoms like fever, while approximately one in 150 may develop severe illness, which can sometimes be fatal, according to the CDC.
Despite retiring nearly two years ago, Fauci has remained a target of political criticism from congressional Republicans regarding his involvement in the COVID-19 response. In June, he testified before a House panel investigating the government’s actions during the pandemic, where GOP lawmakers accused him of orchestrating a cover-up regarding the virus’s origins. Fauci dismissed these allegations, labeling them as “simply preposterous.”
Since leaving government service, Fauci has taken a position at Georgetown University, where he serves as a distinguished professor in the School of Medicine and is also affiliated with the McCourt School of Public Policy.
Fauci’s recent memoir, *On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service*, recounts various experiences from his career, including a revealing conversation he had with Trump. During this discussion, Trump asserted his confidence in winning the 2020 election by a significant margin. He proclaimed, “I am going to win this election by a f****** landslide… Just wait and see. I always did things my way. And I always win, no matter what all these other f****** people think.”
Despite Trump’s predictions, Joe Biden emerged victorious in the 2020 election, and Fauci continued in his role as the Chief Medical Advisor to Biden until his retirement in 2022.
Source: Washington Post
