Irony: Anthony Fauci Hospitalized, Recovering With West Nile Virus

Posted • August 24, 2024: In one of life's little ironies, the former director of the National Institution of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) Anthony Fauci was recently hospitalized for six days. No, not by the COVID-19 bug, but by a different virus - the West Nile virus. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the public face of the U.S. coronavirus pandemic response, was hospitalized earlier this month with the West Nile virus (WNV), according to a report citing his spokesperson. Fauci, 83, was hospitalized for six days before he returned home where he is now recovering, The Washington Post reports. The nation’s former top infectious-disease official is expected to make a full recovery from the virus, which is most commonly spread through the bite of an infected mosquito, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Guess a mask wouldn't have helped here, eh Tony? That said, the West Nile virus is a nasty little bug. As noted above, it's spread by mosquitos, not direct contact, meaning that it can spread faster and farther than, say, COVID-19. Most coronaviruses are pretty fragile outside a host. UV - in other words, sunlight - is like a blowtorch to these viruses, and they last only minutes or even seconds in the open air. But pathogens spread by a vector, like West Nile, malaria, and Zika (mosquitoes), rabies (mammals, particularly raccoons, bats, and skunks,) bubonic plague (fleas), and hantavirus (mice) survive much longer, as they are carried and spread by a host. And West Nile can be serious - especially in someone Dr. Fauci's age (83). (…)

• More at: RedState - Irony: Anthony Fauci Hospitalized With West Nile Virus
https://redstate.com/wardclark/2024/08/24/irony-anthony-fauci-hospitalized-with-west-nile-virus-n2178482
Fox News: Fauci hospitalized after testing positive for West Nile virus, now recovering at home
https://www.foxnews.com/us/fauci-hospitalized-after-testing-positive-west-nile-virus-now-recovering-home-report
CNN: Fauci recovering after hospitalization for West Nile virus
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/08/24/health/fauci-west-nile-virus/index.html