US Senator Mitch McConnell says absence due to fall and pneumonia
US Senator Mitch McConnell has released a statement confirming he is recovering from a fall and a mild case of pneumonia. He remains in a rehabilitation center and has not yet returned to his Senate duties.
Why it matters
As a long-serving Senate leader, McConnell's health status has significant implications for legislative operations and political stability in the US.
Image source, Office of Mitch McConnell Image caption, McConnell released a photo of himself with his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, alongside Sunday's statement
US Senator Mitch McConnell says he will not be returning to the Senate "quite yet" after suffering from a fall and "a mild case of pneumonia".
It is the first statement from the 84-year-old Kentucky Republican after weeks of speculation about his health, following his admission to hospital in mid-June.
A photo was released by his office, in addition to the statement, which shows McConnell with his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, holding what appeared to be Sunday's Washington Post newspaper.
He said he was "briefly unconscious" after his fall and taken to hospital, where he had "submitted to every test they can think of to help figure out what caused this incident".
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