Fox News’ John Roberts has opened up about being hospitalized for a ‘severe’ case of a potentially deadly disease after having ‘uncontrolled’ shivers on-air

John Roberts has Malaria (Image: Getty Images)

One of Fox News’ long-time anchors, John Roberts, has opened up about being hospitalized for a “severe” case of a potentially deadly disease after experiencing “uncontrolled” shivers on-air.

The 68-year-old is currently in the hospital battling a severe case of Malaria, a parasitic mosquito-borne illness that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, can be deadly “if not diagnosed and treated quickly.” He was diagnosed on Monday, August 25.

After being mysteriously absent from Fox News show America Reports, Roberts shared the news of his diagnosis on social media on August 27, explaining that he “somehow came down” with the disease. He added on X, “I can honestly say that I am the only person in the hospital with Malaria.” He added that one of his doctors told him that he is the “first case he has ever seen.” It comes fellow Fox News host Jesse Watters screamed “what the hell is wrong with him?” in an extraordinary meltdown live on air.

Roberts has told People, “I had been hurting from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. Literally everywhere. I was also beset with uncontrolled shivering all during my show. Initially, I thought it was just muscle cramps and aches. But when I started shivering, I started to lean toward the flu.”

Roberts explained he “knew it was bad” when his blood work showed that his platelets and white blood cells were both low. “My rheumatologist told me to go to the ER,” he recalled.

Once he entered the hospital, Roberts received the official diagnosis. “I thought, ‘Of course you have malaria… You never do anything in small measures.’ But I was a little scared,” he admitted. “Malaria can be deadly if left unchecked.”

John Roberts is in the hospital with a ‘severe’ case of Malaria(Image: Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“I don’t know exactly how ‘severe’ it was from a medical classification, but it sure felt severe,” he added. “I have never felt that sick in my life.”

In the hospital, Roberts was treated with IV artesunate — the first-line treatment for severe malaria in the U.S. — which he calls a “big gun” for ridding the body of parasites. Now, he’s been feeling “up and down” in his recovery.

“Yesterday [Aug. 27] was a down day,” he said. “I felt horrible all day. I also have wild swings in temperature every hour. I’ll be shivering and shaking like a leaf… the next I’ll be sweating.”

John Roberts had been mysteriously absent from Fox News’ America Reports before revealing his diagnosis

The long-time news anchor hopes to be discharged from the hospital soon and will return to work on Tuesday, September 2. When he first announced his diagnosis on social media, Roberts thanked fellow Fox News anchor Trace Gallagher for filling in for him as Sandra Smith’s co-anchor on America Reports.

Roberts thinks he contracted the disease while on vacation in Indonesia, having spent two weeks there before returning to the U.S. in early August. He doesn’t remember being bitten, but he started feeling sick about 10 days after returning.

Malaria is most commonly contracted in tropical or subtropical countries. Those who contract it may experience symptoms that may include fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, and fatigue, as well as gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Symptoms usually appear within one week to one month of exposure.

According to People, most malaria cases diagnosed in the U.S. come from patients who caught the disease from outside of the country and brought it back home. Malaria is diagnosed approximately 2,000 times every year in the U.S.