Sen. Mitch McConnell released a new statement Monday about his health, saying he remains in a rehabilitation facility undergoing “intense physical therapy” after a serious fall in June.
The 84-year-old Kentucky Republican was hospitalized on June 14 but did not disclose the reason until nearly a month later on July 12, when he put out a statement saying he fell and was “briefly unconscious.”
Mr. McConnell also said he dealt with “a mild case of pneumonia” while hospitalized and had since been moved to an inpatient rehabilitation center to work on regaining his strength.
The occasional statements from Mr. McConnell and his doctors have not stopped a flood of online conspiracies that speculate his health situation is far worse than disclosed, particularly since he has not recorded a video message to address the rumors head-on.
His Monday update was to share that he would not make it to Saturday’s “Fancy Farm” event in Kentucky, an annual August picnic that he regularly attends.
“I’m still working hard to get back to my full schedule of work in the Senate and in Kentucky, keeping up with intense physical therapy per my doctors’ orders,” Mr. McConnell said, describing his anticipated timeline for doing so as “soon.”
He said he hates to miss the Fancy Farm fun, as “there’s no place I’d rather be on the first Saturday in August than with the good people of western Kentucky, feasting on pork and mutton.”
Mr. McConnell’s office also shared a statement from Congress’ Office of the Attending Physician, which said its doctors have visited with the senator every day to discuss “all aspects of his rehabilitation care.”
“Since his discharge from hospital care, he has maintained a strenuous course of physical therapy and rehabilitation, including multiple sessions a day designed to rebuild strength and reduce the risk of future falls,” the Office of the Attending Physician said. “His bout with childhood polio continues to be a significant factor in his mobility. He is not yet medically cleared to leave the rehab facility and return to the office.”
The congressional doctors said earlier this month that Mr. McConnell had only sustained minor injuries after the June 14 fall.
“A comprehensive evaluation by a multidisciplinary team determined that he had no fractures, cardiac abnormalities, stroke, tumor, or hemorrhage,” the office said. “Early in his hospitalization, he developed pneumonia, which responded rapidly to antibiotic treatment.”
Both the July 12 and Monday statements included photos of Mr. McConnell smiling alongside his wife Elaine Chao.
