Former President Bill Clinton was hospitalized with an infection Tuesday evening, according to his spokesperson.
Clinton, 75, was admitted to UC Irvine Medical Center for a non-COVID-related infection, spokesperson Angel Urena said in a statement Thursday.
He continues to be closely monitored and is receiving IV antibiotics and fluids, according to a second statement from Urena, quoting physicians Dr. Alpesh Amin and Dr. Lisa Bardack.
After two days of treatment, his white blood cell count is trending down and he is responding to antibiotics well, the physicians said.
“He is on the mend, in good spirits, and is incredibly thankful to the doctors, nurses, and staff providing him with excellent care,” the statement reads.
The infection began as a urinary tract infection that spread to his bloodstream, CNN reported.
Dr. Suman Radhakrishna, director of infectious disease for Dignity Health, said that older men, especially those over the age of 50, “can very easily get urinary tract infections for many reasons.”
Radhakrishna said it was important for the president to receive treatment as soon as he did.
“Things can go south very quickly … It’s a very fine balance, and once the balance is broken, people get very sick very quickly and could die from it unless they get immediate attention,” Radhakrishna said.
This is not the first time Clinton, who left the White House in 2001, has faced health problems, including quadruple bypass surgery in 2004, a partially collapsed lung in 2005 and a pair of stents in a coronary artery in 2010, according to the Associated Press.
Since those health issues, Clinton has largely followed a vegan diet, lost weight and has reportedly improved his health, the AP added.
Check back for updates to this developing story.