Feinstein Denies Facing Encephalitis During Months-Long Senate Absence

Topline

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) denied a report she suffered a serious, previously unreported medical condition while she was being treated for shingles during her more than two-month absence from Washington, adding to growing concerns about the 89-year-old senator’s fitness to serve in Congress.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) talks with Nancy Corinne Prowda, daughter of Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) … [+] as Sen. Feinstein, surrounded by staff departs a Senate Judiciary Business Meeting at the Senate Dirksen Office Building on Capitol Hill on Thursday, May 18, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Key Facts

Feinstein suffered complications from her shingles diagnosis that spread to her face and neck and led to a case of encephalitis, which can leave patients with lasting memory or language problems, the New York Times reported Thursday.

Feinstein denied the encephalitis diagnosis on Thursday, telling CNN it “really has never been diagnosed,” adding “it was a really bad flu.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2023/05/18/feinstein-denies-facing-encephalitis-during-months-long-senate-absence/