Former President Bill Clinton was hospitalized onDecember 23, at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC, after developing a fever, his spokesman confirmed to CNN. He is undergoing testing and observation but remains “awake and alert,” according to an aide.
“The president is fine,” Angel Urena, Clinton’s deputy chief of staff, said, adding that Clinton is hopeful to return home by Christmas. “He remains in good spirits and deeply appreciates the excellent care he is receiving.”
News of Clinton’s hospitalization spread swiftly through his wide-reaching network of allies. A longtime associate emphasized that his condition was “not urgent or dire by any means.”
Clinton was at his Washington residence when his condition prompted medical evaluation. He is expected to stay in the hospital at least overnight for further monitoring.
This hospitalization follows a history of significant medical challenges for the 42nd president. In 2004, Clinton underwent quadruple coronary bypass surgery at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in New York after doctors discovered life-threatening blockages in his arteries.
