Fox News anchor John Roberts, 68, has been hospitalized after being diagnosed with an advanced case of malaria, a rare but serious illness that left him shaken and in severe pain. The veteran journalist revealed that his first alarming symptoms appeared while he was live on air earlier this week, when he began to shiver uncontrollably during a broadcast segment.
Roberts told People that the experience was unlike anything he had ever endured before. “My whole body hurt—from the top of my head to the tip of my toes,” he said, adding that the intensity of the illness quickly became frightening. Blood tests later confirmed dangerously low platelet and white blood cell counts, prompting doctors to run further evaluations. Ultimately, the tests revealed that he was suffering from malaria, a diagnosis Roberts admitted left him “a little scared.”
Malaria, a parasitic disease transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes, is relatively rare in temperate regions like the United States but remains widespread across tropical and subtropical countries. The Mayo Clinic describes it as a potentially life-threatening illness if left untreated, with hallmark symptoms including high fever, chills, body aches, and fatigue. Globally, malaria affects approximately 290 million people every year and causes more than 400,000 deaths, most of them in vulnerable populations.
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