Dr. Fauci is recovering at home after being hospitalized for the West Nile virus

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former US infectious disease expert, spent time in hospital after being infected with the West Nile virus and is now recovering at home, a spokesman confirmed on Saturday.

Fauci is expected to make a full recovery, the spokesperson said on condition of anonymity due to safety concerns.

West Nile virus is commonly spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. Although most people experience no symptoms, about 1 in 5 may develop fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea or rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 1 in 150 infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal disease.

CBS News’ chief medical correspondent Dr. Jonathan LaPook wrote in a social media post that he spoke Saturday with Fauci, who said he was likely infected from a mosquito bite he suffered in his backyard.

“Dr. Fauci was hospitalized approximately ten days ago after developing fever, chills and severe fatigue,” the post on X said. It said Fauci spent a week in the hospital.

As the White House’s chief medical adviser, Fauci was the public face of the U.S. government during the COVID-19 pandemic, a role that made him both a trusted voice for millions and a target of partisan anger. He left the government in 2022 but was back before Congress in June to testify as part of Republicans’ yearlong investigation into the origins of COVID-19 and the U.S. response to the disease.

Fauci joined the faculty of Georgetown University last summer as a distinguished university professor.

There are no vaccines to prevent West Nile, or medications to treat it. As of August 20, the CDC had recorded 216 cases in 33 states this year. It is best prevented by avoiding mosquito bites.

Thompson reported from Buffalo, NY