Former U.S. President Bill Clinton is recovering well and is expected to be released soon from a Southern California hospital, according to President Joe Biden.
Speaking on Friday during remarks at the University of Connecticut, Biden said he had personally spoken with Clinton and reassured the public about his condition.
“He’s doing fine; he really is,” Biden said. “He’s not in any serious condition. He’s getting out shortly, as I understand it — whether that’s tomorrow or the next day, I don’t know.”
Clinton, 75, was admitted earlier in the week to the University of California Irvine Medical Center, southeast of Los Angeles, after developing an infection that was unrelated to COVID-19, according to his spokesman.
An aide to the former president later clarified that Clinton had suffered a urological infection that spread into his bloodstream. However, the aide emphasized that Clinton never went into septic shock, a potentially life-threatening condition, and that his recovery has been steady.
Clinton spokesman Angel Ureña confirmed that the former president remained hospitalized overnight to continue receiving intravenous antibiotics but stressed that his condition was improving.
“All health indicators are trending in the right direction, including his white blood count, which has decreased significantly,” Ureña said in a statement. “President Clinton continues to be in excellent spirits and is deeply grateful for the outstanding care he is receiving, as well as for the well wishes sent from across America and around the world.”
Although Clinton was placed in an intensive care section of the hospital for close monitoring, the aide said he was not receiving ICU-level care. During his stay, Clinton was reportedly reading books and following television coverage related to his hospitalization.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been at his side during the hospitalization. Their daughter, Chelsea Clinton, was not present at the hospital at the time.
Clinton has faced several health challenges since leaving the White House in 2001. In 2004, he underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery after experiencing chest pains and shortness of breath. The following year, he was treated for a partially collapsed lung, and in 2010, doctors implanted two stents in a coronary artery.
In response to those health scares, Clinton adopted a largely vegan diet and has spoken publicly about improved health and weight loss.
Despite his medical history, Clinton has remained politically active over the years, campaigning for Democratic candidates and playing a visible role during Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2016.
Published: Saturday, 16 October 2021, 05:02 BST
