Governor Terry Branstad during his meeting with the media this morning prior to the event where he became ill.
Governor Terry Branstad will stay overnight in a Des Moines hospital where he’s being treated for “flu-like symptoms.”
Jimmy Centers, a spokesman for the governor issued a statement late this afternoon, saying Branstad is “currently alert and resting comfortably.” Centers said Branstad is “being observed and hydrated” and will be kept overnight “out of an abundance of caution.”
Branstad fell ill as he was delivering a speech during a ceremony at Du Pont Pioneer in Johnston this morning. He was taken by ambulance to the hospital. Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds was noticeably ill earlier this morning as Branstad and Reynolds held their weekly news conference. Both Branstad and Reynolds were coughing.
“She will see her doctor tomorrow morning, again out of an abundacne of caution,” Centers told Radio Iowa. “She has also cancelled all of her public events for Tuesday the 27th to get well.”
Both Branstad and Reynolds have cancelled all their public events for Tuesday.
“We’ll make a decision going forward regarding the remainder of (Branstad’s) public schedule for the week in the near future,” Centers said.
The governor had a flu shot this fall, according to Centers. Experts say this year’s flu shot does not cover a strain of the flu which is prevalent this season. Doctors haven’t yet confirmed that Branstad is suffering from a particular strain of the flu either.
“These are flu-like symptoms,” Centers told Radio Iowa. “There isn’t a diagnosis.”
Experts say this is the worst flu “season” in nearly a decade.
(This story was updated at 4:30 p.m. with additional information.)