US Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg admitted to hospital

US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg delivers remarks during a discussion hosted by the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, DC, September 12, 2019Image copyright
Reuters

Image caption

Justice Ginsburg is the most senior liberal judge on the US Supreme Court

US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 86, has been admitted to hospital suffering chills and a fever, the court said in a statement.

She was evaluated at the Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington on Friday, before being transferred to Johns Hopkins Hospital for “treatment of any possible infection”, it added.

It is expected Ms Ginsburg could be released as early as Sunday morning.

As the court’s most senior liberal justice, her health is closely watched.

Her symptoms improved after she was given intravenous antibiotics and fluids, the court said.

  • Why half of America panics when this woman falls ill
  • Meet the Supremes – the judges on the top US court

Ms Ginsburg is the oldest sitting justice on the Supreme Court, and has received hospital treatment a number of times in recent years.

In August, she was treated for a cancerous tumour on her pancreas. She received treatment for colon cancer in 1999, and pancreatic cancer in 2009. In December 2018 she had surgery to remove two cancerous nodules from her lung.

She has also suffered fractured ribs from falls.

US Supreme Court justices serve for life or until they choose to retire, and supporters have expressed concern that if anything were to happen to Ms Ginsburg then a more conservative justice could replace her.

President Donald Trump has appointed two judges since becoming president, and the current court is seen to have a 5-4 conservative majority in most cases.

source: bbc.com