Ex-US President Bill Clinton making 'excellent progress', expected to be discharged soon

Former US President Bill Clinton, who was hospitalised for a non-COVID infection on Tuesday, is now expected to be discharged from the UC Irvine Medical Center, his spokesperson Angel Ureña informed on Sunday. In a Twitter statement, Ureña informed that former US President has continued to make “excellent progress” over the last 24 hours. He added that now Clinton will remain overnight at the hospital to continue to receive IV antibiotics before an expected discharge on Sunday. 

“He (Clinton) is in great spirits and has been spending time with family, catching up with friends, and watching college football. He is deeply grateful for the excellent care he continues to receive and thankful to the many well-wishers who have sent kind words to him and his family. He’s looking forward to getting home very soon,” Ureña added. 

Clinton, who served as United States’ 42nd President, has spent several days in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for a urinary tract infection, which spread to his bloodstream, CNN reported. His spokesperson had previously informed that Clinton’s hospitalisation was non-COVID-19 and non-heart-related. He was admitted to the California hospital due to sepsis -- potentially a life-threatening condition -- informed two people familiar with the matter to The Hill.

Biden assures Clinton is doing 'fine'

As he is still recovering, Clinton has received several calls from well-wishers, including Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden. Clinton is doing “fine” and is not in any serious condition, Biden had told reporters in Connecticut following his phone call with the former President. 

According to reports, Clinton has been walking around the hospital as he recovers. He remains at the hospital for “continuous monitoring,” the doctors informed. The 75-year-old is in the ICU but is not on a breathing machine. His condition is not related to his previous heart problems, the media outlet informed, adding that the California-based medical team, however, has been in constant communication with Clinton’s New York-based medical team, including his cardiologist. 

Clinton had served as the US President from January 1993 to January 2001. He has had a number of health issues over the past two decades, mostly related to the heart. According to AP, in 2004, the former US President underwent quadruple bypass surgery after experiencing prolonged chest pains and shortness of breath. He then returned to the hospital for surgery due to a partially collapsed lung in 2005. In 2010, he even had a pair of stents implanted in a coronary artery.

(Image: AP)