Bill Clinton hospitalized with ‘non-COVID-related’ infection

Former President Clinton was admitted to the hospital this week due to a non-COVID-19-related infection.

Two people familiar with the matter told The Hill that Clinton, 75, was hospitalized due to sepsis. Another source said that Clinton is doing well and is currently in an intensive care unit for privacy reasons.

The former president was admitted to the University of California, Irvine Medical Center, according to spokesperson Angel Ureña. Ureña said Clinton is “on the mend” and “in good spirits.”

Ureña also said former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in California.

Statement, from me, on President Clinton pic.twitter.com/Jbfl4evpcF

— Angel Ureña (@angelurena) October 15, 2021

Ureña shared a joint statement from Clinton’s physicians, Alpesh Amin and Lisa Bardack.

“President Clinton was taken to UC Irvine Medical Center and diagnosed with an infection. He was admitted to the hospital for close monitoring and administered IV antibiotics and fluids. He remains at the hospital for continuous monitoring,” they said.

“After two days of treatment, his white blood cell count is trending down and he is responding to antibiotics well,” they added. “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.”

Statement from President Clinton’s physicians pic.twitter.com/kQ4GDOxBcU

— Angel Ureña (@angelurena) October 15, 2021

Clinton has a history of heart issues, undergoing a quadruple bypass in 2004. As The New York Times reported at the time, surgeons said several arteries were more than 90 percent blocked.

He underwent another heart procedure in 2010 to restore blood flow to one of his coronary arteries.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sepsis is an extreme response to an infection and is a life-threatening medical emergency. Around 1.7 million adults in the U.S. develop sepsis every year and roughly 270,000 people die due to the condition.

Infections that can cause sepsis often start in the lungs, urinary tract, skin or gastrointestinal tract. Without treatment, it can swiftly lead to organ failure and death. People over the age of 65, those with weakened immune systems and individuals with chronic medical conditions are at a higher risk of developing sepsis.

Amie Parnes contributed. Updated at 9:59 p.m.