Kathy Griffin has been sent home from hospital after spending time in a coronavirus isolation ward.
The 59-year-old comedian revealed this week she was battling ‘unbearably painful symptoms’ associated with the respiratory illness – also known as COVID-19 – and said she had been taken to a specific isolation ward for sufferers of the virus, although she was unable to be tested.
And now, she has confirmed to the Los Angeles Times she’s back home after being diagnosed with an abdominal infection that is being treated with medication.
Back home: Kathy Griffin has been sent home from hospital after spending time in a coronavirus isolation ward. Turns out she had an abdominal infection
During an interview with the publication, Kathy detailed her experience at the isolation ward, which she was taken to after feeling ill following a trip to Mexico with her husband Randy Bick.
She said: ‘We were both nervous because we were still in the incubation period after returning from Mexico, but also we had not left the house in days. We’d been hearing about a 14-day incubation period [for the coronavirus]. So for me to get what felt like food poisoning after six days, I thought, OK, is this a coincidence or what?’
Kathy praised the ‘heroes’ who treated her at the hospital, but said the facility was not set up how she had imagined, and there were no coronavirus tests available.
She said there were no tests for her: Kathy praised the ‘heroes’ who treated her at the hospital, but said the facility was not set up how she had imagined, and there were no coronavirus tests available. Seen in July 2019
She added: ‘Frankly, when they said the corona ward, I thought I would be walking into the white suits with blue-taped ceilings, everything. I kind of expected them to put me in a shower room and all that – but as recently as [Tuesday], there’s no cavalry that’s coming in handing out millions of [test] swabs.’
The comedian was unable to get a test for the virus because her symptoms didn’t ‘meet the requirements’ set out by the CDC.
She explained: ‘The doctor was going through the boxes and going through the boxes [on a form] and she kept saying, like, “Ugh, because of the lungs, the fever and the kind of cough … you don’t meet the CDC requirements.”
Crushing: But once inside the ER, the My Life On The D-List star said she could not get tested for the virus due to CDC restrictions even though she was at a ‘major’ hospital. Seen in late February with Traci Lords
‘I just think it’s so obvious that those tests have to be accessible to everybody. A lot of people, when they hear the president saying everyone who needs a test should get one, then shouldn’t have to then go to a hospital where, frankly, they may be exposing themselves or exposing others.’
Kathy first spoke about her symptoms when she took to Twitter to hit out at US president Donald Trump, after he claimed America is now doing ‘more testing than any other nation’.
She tweeted: ‘He’s lying. I was sent to the #COVID19 isolation ward room in a major hospital ER from a separate urgent care facility after showing UNBEARABLY PAINFUL symptoms. The hospital couldn’t test me for #coronavirus because of CDC (Pence task force) restrictions. #TESTTESTTEST (sic)’
She says there are not enough tests: She took to social media to get her point across. The stand-up also shared a photo of herself in the hospital. She wore a mask and was under quarantine. Griffin explained that even though her symptoms were serious, she was considered not eligible for the test. Kathy also shared a grab of Trump’s tweet from Wednesday
She took to social media to get her point across. The stand-up also shared a photo of herself in the hospital. She wore a mask and was under quarantine.
Griffin explained that even though her symptoms were serious, she was considered not eligible for the test.
Kathy also shared a grab of Trump’s tweet from Wednesday.
‘Just reported that the United States has done far more ‘testing’ than any other nation, by far!’ said Trump.
‘In fact, over an eight day span, the United States now does more testing than what South Korea (which has been a very successful tester) does over an eight week span. Great job!’
Kathy said that the President was ‘lying.’
Griffin explained: ‘I was sent to the #COVID19 isolation ward room in a major hospital ER from a separate urgent care facility after showing UNBEARABLY PAINFUL symptoms.
‘The hospital couldn’t test me for #coronavirus because of CDC (Pence task force) restrictions.’
Not a fan of his: Kathy said that the President was ‘lying.’ Griffin explained: ‘I was sent to the #COVID19 isolation ward room in a major hospital ER from a separate urgent care facility after showing UNBEARABLY PAINFUL symptoms. ‘The hospital couldn’t test me for #coronavirus because of CDC (Pence task force) restrictions.’ Trump on March 20
She has lashed out at Trump before. In 2017 she posted a video of herself to Instagram where she was holding a mask made to look like the severed, bloody head of Trump.
‘I caption this ‘there was blood coming out of his eyes, blood coming out of his…wherever,” she said.
The shoot was from photographer Tyler Shields.
Griffin later took down the image, and apologized publicly. CNN fired her from its New Year’s Eve broadcast with Anderson Cooper because of it.
The latest: Other celebrities who have come down with COVID-19 are Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson, Andy Cohen, and Laura Bell Bundy (pictured)
Sad farewell: Top Chef Masters star Floyd Cardoz died on Wednesday from the virus. He had been in Mumbai earlier this month with comedian Aziz Ansari shooting a reality TV series
Other celebrities who have come down with COVID-19 are Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson, Andy Cohen, and Laura Bell Bundy.
Top Chef Masters star Floyd Cardoz died on Wednesday from the virus. He had been in Mumbai earlier this month with comedian Aziz Ansari shooting a reality TV series.
It has been a bad month for Kathy. Her mother Maggie died on St Patrick’s Day.
Her tribute read: ‘My Mom, the one and only, Maggie Griffin, passed away today. I am gutted. My best friend. I’m shaking. I won’t ever be prepared. I’m so grateful you guys got to be part of her life. You knew her. You loved her. She knew it. Oh, and OF COURSE she went on St Patrick’s Day.’
Sad loss: Last week Kathy’s mother Maggie died. Her tribute read: ‘My Mom, the one and only, Maggie Griffin, passed away today. I am gutted. My best friend. I’m shaking.’ Seen with her mother in 2014