Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former COVID-19 advisor, was recently hospitalized for six days after contracting the West Nile virus. He is now recovering at home.
His spokesperson has said that a full recovery is expected.
West Nile virus is spread by mosquitoes that have bitten infected birds. It’s the most common mosquito-borne virus in the U.S.
The virus caused 1,800 hospitalizations and 182 deaths last year, according to the CDC. There have been 216 confirmed cases in 2024 so far.
Many people who get the virus don’t show symptoms, and there are no vaccines or treatments available.
Fauci, who retired in 2022 after leading the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for nearly 40 years, was the highest-paid federal employee at the time, earning $480,654 a year.
Even after leaving his government role, Fauci remains a controversial figure. He supported school closures during the pandemic but later admitted this was a mistake.
He also faced criticism for denying that his department funded research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, although it was later confirmed that such funding did occur.
Additionally, he has been criticized by animal rights activists for funding a lab in Tunisia where beagle puppies were allegedly mistreated and killed.