President-elect Joe Biden suffers fractures in foot

[November 30, 2020]    By Simon Lewis
 
 NEWARK, Del. (Reuters) - President-elect Joe Biden suffered hairline fractures in his foot while playing with one of his dogs and will probably have to wear a protective boot for several weeks, his personal physician said on Sunday.

President-elect Joe Biden delivers a pre-Thanksgiving speech at his transition headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., November 25, 2020. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

The incident happened on Saturday, Biden's office said in a statement, with the 78-year-old Democrat visiting an orthopedist on Sunday for x-rays and a CT scan.

Doctors initially thought the former vice president had merely sprained his ankle, but ordered an additional scan of the injury.

A "follow-up CT scan confirmed hairline (small) fractures," Biden's personal physician Kevin O'Connor said in a separate statement distributed by Biden's office. "He will likely require a walking boot for several weeks."

After defeating President Donald Trump in the Nov. 3 presidential election, Biden will be the oldest person ever to assume the office when he enters the White House on Jan. 20. His health is likely to be watched closely by allies and opponents alike.

Trump, who has not conceded defeat in the election and is contesting the results in court, wished Biden a speedy recovery. "Get well soon!" Trump said in a Tweet.

(Reporting by Simon Lewis in Newark Delaware and Jason Lange in Washington; Writing by Raphael Satter. Editing by Peter Cooney, Daniel Wallis and Diane Craft)

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