Bill Clinton on the mend after infection lands him in hospital

A source close to former President Clinton said Friday “he is trending in the right direction” after reports emerged the day before that he had been hospitalized with a non-coronavirus-related infection.

Two sources on Thursday had told The Hill Clinton was hospitalized with sepsis, with another saying he was in an intensive care unit for privacy reasons.

A further update on Clinton’s health is expected later Friday.

“After two days of treatment, his white blood cell count is trending down and he is responding to antibiotics well,” Clinton’s physicians said Thursday. “The California-based medical team has been in constant communication with the President’s New York-based medical team, including his cardiologist. We hope to have him go home soon.” 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Infections that cause sepsis often start in the lungs, urinary tract, skin, or gastrointestinal tract.”

Clinton has had a history of health issues, including heart problems. He had undergone a quadruple bypass in 2004. He also had an additional heart procedure in 2010 to restore blood flow to one of his coronary arteries. 

Amie Parnes contributed.