5 Shocking Facts About Fox News Anchor John Roberts’ Severe Malaria Battle And Full Recovery

The news sent a shockwave through the media world in late August 2024: Fox News Channel co-anchor John Roberts, a familiar face on *America Reports*, was suddenly hospitalized with a severe, life-threatening case of malaria. The veteran journalist’s mysterious absence from the anchor desk quickly turned into a public health scare, highlighting the danger of this ancient, mosquito-borne disease, even for well-traveled individuals.

As of today, December 18, 2025, John Roberts has made a remarkable and full recovery, returning to his role and using his harrowing experience to raise awareness. His battle from a seemingly innocuous vacation to an intensive care unit required immediate, aggressive treatment with the frontline drug IV artesunate, offering a stark reminder of the fragility of health and the global reach of tropical pathogens.

John Roberts: A Detailed Biography and Distinguished Career Profile

John David Roberts is a highly respected Canadian-American television journalist whose career spans decades across multiple top-tier news networks. His professional journey is marked by significant roles as a correspondent, White House Chief Correspondent, and anchor.

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• Full Name: John David Roberts
• Born: November 15, 1956 (Age 69 as of late 2025)
• Nationality: Canadian-American
• Education: Attended the University of Toronto
• Wife: Kyra Phillips, an award-winning journalist who currently works for ABC News.
• Children: Fraternal twins, Sage Ann and Kellan Clay, born in 2011.
• Career Highlights:
  • Began his career in Canada at City TV in Toronto and co-anchored CTV's morning news program.
  • Served as a correspondent and anchor for CBS News.
  • Was a prominent anchor and Senior National Correspondent at CNN.
  • Joined Fox News Channel (FNC) in January 2011.
  • Served as Fox News' Chief White House Correspondent.
  • Currently co-anchors the weekday news program *America Reports* alongside Sandra Smith.

The Terrifying Onset: From Indonesia Vacation to IV Artesunate Treatment

Roberts’s severe illness was traced back to a two-week vacation he took in Indonesia in early August 2024. While he was unsure exactly where or how the infection occurred, the incubation period of the parasitic disease aligned with his return to the United States.

The first public sign of his deteriorating health was a noticeable episode of shivering on air during a broadcast of *America Reports*. This symptom, often mistaken for a common cold or flu, is a classic sign of the parasitic infection taking hold. Roberts soon took to social media to announce his hospitalization, describing his condition as a "severe case of Malaria."

The speed of the disease’s progression was terrifying. Roberts shared that he had "never felt this sick before" and that the severity of the illness required immediate, aggressive intervention. Doctors at the Northern Virginia hospital where he was admitted quickly diagnosed the vector-borne disease and began a life-saving treatment protocol.

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The critical element of his recovery was the administration of IV artesunate. This powerful antimalarial drug is the first-line therapy for severe malaria in the United States and is reserved for the most dangerous infections, typically caused by the parasite *Plasmodium falciparum*.

Roberts’s case highlights the critical need for rapid diagnosis and treatment. Malaria, especially the *P. falciparum* strain, can lead to organ failure, seizures, coma, and death if not treated immediately. His successful recovery is a testament to the swift action of the medical team and the efficacy of modern antimalarial medicine.

Malaria: What John Roberts’ Case Reveals About the Global Health Threat

The hospitalization of a high-profile Fox News anchor with malaria brought a rarely discussed global health threat back into the American spotlight. While the US sees only about 2,000 cases annually, almost all are imported from tropical zones where the disease is endemic. Roberts’s infection in Indonesia serves as a powerful reminder for all international travelers.

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The Role of the Anopheles Mosquito

Malaria is not a virus or a bacterium; it is caused by a parasite transmitted through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. The parasite, which most often is the deadly *Plasmodium falciparum* in severe cases, travels to the liver, multiplies, and then invades the red blood cells, causing the debilitating symptoms of fever, chills, and flu-like illness.

Roberts himself shared a warning on social media, posting a picture of an *Anopheles* mosquito, underscoring the simplicity of the transmission and the complexity of the resulting illness. His experience illustrates the danger of travel to malaria-endemic areas without proper prophylactic antimalarial drugs and mosquito avoidance measures.

The Life-Saving Power of IV Artesunate

The drug that saved Roberts’s life, IV artesunate, is a derivative of artemisinin, a compound historically used in traditional Chinese medicine. Its introduction as the standard of care for severe malaria in the US has dramatically improved survival rates. The quick decision to use this intravenous therapy, rather than older drugs like quinine or chloroquine, was crucial because severe malaria can progress from mild symptoms to a fatal outcome in a matter of hours.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) monitors these imported cases closely. Roberts’s case became a public service announcement for the importance of consulting a travel medicine specialist before visiting any tropical region, especially those in Southeast Asia like Indonesia, where the risk is present.

John Roberts’ Full Recovery and Return to the Anchor Desk

Following his intense treatment and a period of recuperation, John Roberts made a strong return to the *America Reports* anchor desk. His recovery was steady, a process he openly shared with his audience and followers, expressing profound gratitude for the medical care he received and the support from his wife, Kyra Phillips, and his family.

His experience has added a new layer of depth to his reporting, providing a personal perspective on the global challenges of infectious diseases. The incident serves as a permanent cautionary tale about the importance of travel precautions, including mosquito netting and appropriate medication, even for brief trips to high-risk areas. Roberts’s quick thinking and the rapid medical response turned a potentially tragic health scare into a powerful story of survival and recovery, reinforcing his status as one of Fox News Channel’s most resilient and respected journalists.