Fox News anchor John Roberts is fighting a fierce battle against severe malaria, a diagnosis that’s landed him in the hospital with a story straight out of a jungle thriller.
People reported that the 68-year-old journalist contracted the mosquito-borne illness during a vacation in Indonesia, started feeling ill shortly after returning home, and is now under intensive treatment while hoping for a swift recovery.
Roberts spent two weeks in Indonesia before coming back to the U.S. in early August, likely never imagining he’d bring back such a dangerous souvenir.
About 10 days after his return, the symptoms hit—fever, chills, aches, and more, though he doesn’t recall a single mosquito bite. It’s a stark reminder that sometimes the smallest critters can pack the biggest punch.
“I had been hurting from the top of my head to the tip of my toes,” Roberts shared, painting a vivid picture of his misery. Let’s be real—when a seasoned anchor starts “shivering” uncontrollably on live TV, you know it’s not just a bad day. This isn’t some woke overreaction to a sniffle; it’s a serious illness that could knock anyone flat.
By Monday, Aug. 25, the diagnosis was confirmed: malaria, a disease most Americans only hear about in far-off lands. With roughly 2,000 cases diagnosed yearly in the U.S., almost all from overseas travel, Roberts is a rare case on home soil. It’s a wake-up call about the risks of globetrotting without ironclad precautions.
Symptoms like nausea, fatigue, and muscle pain crept in, fitting the typical timeline of malaria showing up within a week to a month after exposure.
Roberts initially brushed it off as the flu or cramps, but the relentless “shaking like a leaf” tipped him off that something was terribly wrong. You can’t help but admire his grit for powering through a broadcast in that state.
“I knew it was bad,” Roberts admitted when blood work revealed dangerously low platelets and white blood cells. That’s not the kind of report you ignore, and thankfully, his rheumatologist urged an immediate ER visit. In a world obsessed with downplaying real health crises for social clout, this is a refreshing dose of reality.
“My rheumatologist told me to go to the ER,” he recalled, a decision that likely saved him from worse outcomes. Malaria isn’t a game—if untreated, it can turn deadly, and Roberts himself noted he was “a little scared” by the stakes. It’s a humbling moment for anyone who thinks they’re invincible.
Now, he’s under care with IV artesunate, the go-to treatment for severe malaria in the U.S., and receiving top-notch attention from medical staff.
“I can honestly say that I am the only person in the hospital with malaria,” he posted on social media, a wry nod to his unique predicament. Even in pain, the man’s got a sense of humor—something the perpetually offended crowd could learn from.
“I have never felt that sick in my life,” Roberts confessed, underscoring just how brutal this illness has been. He’s not exaggerating—wild temperature swings from shivering to sweating every hour sound like a personal hell. It’s a far cry from the polished studio lights of Fox News.
“Yesterday was a down day,” he added, describing a particularly rough patch of feeling “horrible” all day. You can’t help but wince imagining a veteran like Roberts, used to tackling tough news, brought low by a microscopic parasite. It’s a sobering lesson in humility for us all.
Despite the ordeal, Roberts is eyeing a hospital discharge soon and plans to be back at work by Tuesday, Sept. 2. That’s the kind of tenacity you’d expect from someone who’s spent decades in the news trenches. Let’s hope the doctors give him the green light without any progressive-style overcaution slowing him down.
On social media platform X, Roberts publicly thanked his stand-in, Trace Gallagher, for stepping up alongside Sandra Smith on “America Reports.” It’s a classy move in an era where too many are quick to grumble rather than show gratitude. A little old-school courtesy goes a long way.
He also gave a shoutout to the medical team at Inova Health for their “expertise and compassion,” a rare positive note in a tough situation.
As this health scare unfolds, Roberts’ story is a potent reminder of life’s unpredictability, even for those in the spotlight. Malaria might be rare stateside, but it’s a real threat for travelers, and his experience should prompt us all to prioritize practical safeguards over trendy, feel-good narratives. Here’s to a speedy recovery for a trusted voice in conservative media.