President Michael D Higgins is to remain in hospital for treatment, Áras an Uachtarain said in a statement this lunchtime.
The President is on a course of intravenous antibiotics for what has been described as a “localised infection”, and he will remain in hospital to continue the treatment. There has been a significant improvement in his condition since he was admitted Sunday night, the Áras said.
The President was brought to hospital Sunday night after concerns about his health. The Áras did not say how long he is expected to stay in hospital.
“President Higgins was yesterday admitted to St James’s Hospital by arrangement in order to have a localised infection examined,” the official statement said.
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“The President has commenced a course of antibiotics to treat the infection. The President’s medical team have noted a significant improvement since the commencement of the antibiotics and, in line with their advice, the President has agreed to remain in hospital to continue the course of antibiotics.”
[ Michael D Higgins taken to hospital for ‘precautionary’ overnight stayOpens in new window ]
Mr Higgins, who is 84, will reach the end of his second term as president on November 10th, hours before Catherine Connolly is inaugurated as his successor.
Last year the President suffered a mild stroke, which the Áras described at the time as a “transitory weakness”. He later said there was no cognitive impairment as a result of the episode, though he has visibly slowed in his public appearances. An analysis by The Irish Times of the President’s diary showed that his number of public engagements almost halved from more than 28 per month in 2019 – the first full year of his second term – to about 15 per month this year and last.
President Higgins intends to return to his home in Rahoon, Galway when he leaves Áras an Uachtaráin, where he plans to continue working on food security, while writing poems and resuming unfinished books, he has said.
