Fox News anchor John Roberts is recovering in a hospital after being diagnosed with a “severe” case of malaria.
The veteran journalist shared details of his illness, describing it as the most serious health battle he has ever faced.
Roberts, 68, revealed to PEOPLE on Thursday that doctors diagnosed him with malaria on Monday, August 25.
He explained that he had been experiencing widespread body pain and “uncontrolled shivering” before seeking medical treatment.
“I had been hurting from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. Literally everywhere. I was also beset with uncontrolled shivering all during my show,” Roberts said.
“Initially, I thought it was just muscle cramps and aches. But when I started shivering, I started to lean toward the flu.”
Roberts said he realized the situation was more serious when his blood test results came back.
“I knew it was bad when my platelets and white blood cells were both low,” he explained.
“My rheumatologist told me to go to the ER.”
After being admitted, he received confirmation of the malaria diagnosis.
“I thought, ‘Of course you have malaria… You never do anything in small measures.’ But I was a little scared,” he recalled. “Malaria can be deadly if left unchecked.”
He added that while he did not know the exact classification of his illness, the symptoms were overwhelming.
“I don’t know exactly how ‘severe’ it was from a medical classification, but it sure felt severe. I have never felt that sick in my life,” Roberts told People.
Roberts believes he contracted the illness while traveling in Indonesia earlier this summer.
He spent two weeks there before returning to the United States in early August.
Although he did not remember being bitten by a mosquito, he began to feel sick about 10 days after his return.
Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by parasites transmitted through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes.
The illness is most common in tropical and subtropical regions, particularly in parts of Africa, Asia and South America.
Symptoms include fever, chills, muscle aches, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Headaches and severe sweating episodes are also common.
In severe cases, malaria can cause organ failure, seizures or death if left untreated.
Symptoms usually appear within one to four weeks of exposure.
While relatively rare in the United States, malaria continues to pose a threat to travelers returning from overseas.
About 2,000 malaria cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year, according to health officials, with the vast majority linked to individuals who contracted the disease while abroad.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that malaria was once widespread in the U.S., but domestic transmission was eliminated by the early 1950s.
Today, new cases almost exclusively result from international travel.
Roberts said doctors began treating him with IV artesunate, a medication used as the primary treatment for severe malaria in the United States.
He referred to the drug as a “big gun” for clearing parasites from the body.
Despite the treatment, Roberts said his recovery has been difficult and inconsistent.
“Yesterday [Aug. 27] was a down day,” he admitted.
“I felt horrible all day. I also have wild swings in temperature every hour. I’ll be shivering and shaking like a leaf… the next I’ll be sweating.”
Roberts expressed hope that his condition would improve enough for him to leave the hospital soon.
He said his goal is to return to work by Tuesday, September 2.
The post Beloved Fox News Anchor John Roberts Hospitalized With ‘Severe’ Malaria After ‘Uncontrolled Shivering’ On-Air appeared first on Resist the Mainstream.
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Author: Jordyn M.
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