“60 Minutes” host Lesley Stahl revealed during Sunday’s broadcast that she had been diagnosed with the coronavirus and had managed to make a full recovery after being hospitalized.
Stahl, who is 78, noted that she was far from the only member of the “60 Minutes” staff to have tested positive for COVID-19 — one member of the news team had displayed no signs of infection, while others suffered extreme symptoms. Stahl said she experienced the latter, dealing with pneumonia for two weeks to the point that she had to be admitted to the hospital.
“I found an overworked, nearly overwhelmed staff,” Stahl said of her hospitalization. “Every one of them kind, sympathetic, gentle and caring from the moment I arrived until the moment days later when I was wheeled out through a gauntlet of cheering medical workers. In the face of so much death, they celebrate their triumphs.”
“This valiant army in scrubs and masks was not just doing a job; they were fulfilling a mission, answering the call. Thanks to them, like so many other patients, I am well now. Tonight, we all owe them our gratitude, our admiration and, in some cases, our lives.”
Watch her announcement in the video clip above.
Stahl is one of several media figures who have been diagnosed with COVID-19. CNN anchors Brooke Baldwin and Chris Cuomo were both diagnosed last month, with Cuomo continuing to broadcast his show from his home while fighting symptoms. ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos also tested positive, but only experienced mild symptoms.
According to a Johns Hopkins University tally, over 3.5 million confirmed cases of coronavirus have been found worldwide (with more than a third of the cases in the U.S.). Over 66,000 deaths have been reported in the U.S. with more than 246,000 globally. Experts believe that all these numbers are actually higher due to incomplete reporting in many parts of the world.