Former US President George HW Bush hospitalised one day after wife Barbara's funeral

Former president George HW Bush is pushed by his son, former president George W Bush, during funeral services for former first lady Barbara Bush in Houston, Texas: David J. Phillip/Pool via Reuters
Former president George HW Bush is pushed by his son, former president George W Bush, during funeral services for former first lady Barbara Bush in Houston, Texas: David J. Phillip/Pool via Reuters

Former president George HW Bush was hospitalised just days after the death of his wife Barbara.

“President Bush was admitted to the Houston Methodist Hospital yesterday morning after contracting an infection that spread to his blood”, family spokesman Jim McGrath said in a statement.

“He is responding to treatments and appears to be recovering”.

The 93-year-old former president has been confined to a wheelchair in recent years as he has battled a rare health condition.

Mr Bush has been diagnosed with vascular Parkinsonism, a condition that mimics Parkinson’s disease.

His hospitalisation came one day after the funeral of his wife of more than seven decades.

When Ms Bush passed at the age of 92, Mr Bush was “broken-hearted”, a spokesman said.

“He held her hand all day today and was at her side when [she] left this good earth,” chief of staff Jean Becker said.