The king is hospitalized in Malaysia with an infection, according to the royal house. A Malaysian hospital on the holiday island of Langkawi confirms that the king is a patient there.
King Harald arrives at the Government’s lunch for Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the Representationsboligen, 14 February 2024. Today, the royal house reports that the king has been admitted to hospital. Photo: Cornelius Poppe / POOL / NTB
Published: 27.02.2024 16:24 | Updated: 28/02/2024 08:43
The Malaysian News Channel Astro Awani announced on Tuesday that King Harald has been admitted to Hospital Sultanah Malihai in Langkawi, a popular holiday island north-west of Malaysia.
An employee at the public hospital confirms that the king is a patient at the hospital. She also says that security measures have been put in place, but that she cannot provide more information.
Receives good follow-up
“His Majesty the King has fallen ill during his holiday in Malaysia, and is hospitalized there, with an infection,” the royal house writes in the press release.
The king turned 87 on 21 February. He was supposed to celebrate his birthday abroad, according to Nettavisen.
The royal palace writes that the king now receives good follow-up from both Malaysian and Norwegian medical personnel.
The king was recently sick with a respiratory infection, but was reported to have recovered on 2 February. It is planned that the king will meet in the cabinet on 8 March.
The king is a patient at the Sultanah Malihai hospital in Langkawi, the hospital confirms to Aftenposten. Photo: Langkawi Community
On Wednesday, the crown prince couple will go to Finse to visit the Red Cross course in rescue management. They are not changing their plans, writes VG.
– That is still the plan. Any changes will appear in the programme, says Simen Sund, press officer at the Castle VG.
– Immediately admitted to hospital
Unspecified infections have been the king’s main health problem in recent years, apart from bad bones, corona and some colds, according to historian Trond Norén Isaksen, who is an expert on the royal household.
He says that the king is quickly admitted to hospital when such infections occur.
Last summer, the king was admitted to Rikshospitalet for one week.
– An infection like that is relatively dangerous for a man of his age, who has such impaired health. It is also the reason why he is immediately admitted to hospital when they occur, because there is a risk of it developing into sepsis, or blood poisoning, says Isaksen.
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The Royal Household has not wanted to answer Aftenposten’s questions about the king’s condition.
– How special is it that you are so reticent with information as you are now?
– In Norway, people are more open about the king’s health than in many other countries. But all people have the right to a private life. You don’t always want to provide all the details. In some cases they don’t know everything, you have to assume that this has happened recently and that you may not yet know that much. But in such a special situation, they should probably issue updates along the way, says Isaksen.
This photo was taken in 1979, when the then Crown Prince Harald was visiting Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. He visited a center for boat refugees from Vietnam. Photo: Bjørn Sigurdsøn, NTB
– Sad to hear
– It was sad to hear that King Harald is hospitalized in Malaysia. I would like to wish King Harald a speedy recovery and hope he is well again soon, says Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) to VG.
So does Erna Solberg (Right).
– I wish King Harald a very good recovery and hope he gets home safely to Norway.
The royal house announced on Monday 19 February that the king would go on a private trip abroad, and that Crown Prince Haakon would take over as regent while the king was abroad.
Fact
King Harald has had a number of hospitalizations in the past year
- 27 February 2024: King Harald has fallen ill during his holiday stay in Malaysia and is hospitalized there.
- 31 January 2024: The king is taken ill as a result of a respiratory infection. He is back at work on February 5.
- 22 October 2023: King Harald is taken ill after being diagnosed with corona, and must, among other things, attend the traditional palace dinner for the representatives of the Storting the week after. He has cold symptoms and stays at home at the Castle. On 30 October he is back at work again.
- 28 August 2023: The king is called in sick due to a cold and has to drop a planned trip to Skaun in Trøndelag. He will be discharged on 3 September.
- 8 May 2023: King Harald is admitted to Rikshospitalet after being diagnosed with an infection. He will be discharged on 15 May and discharged on 16 May. Thus, he is healthy in time to greet the children’s train from the castle balcony on 17 May.
The king has also had several hospital stays and sick calls in previous years. In 2021, he underwent surgery for a knee injury. In 2020, he had a new biological heart valve operated on. The flap that was replaced was first operated on in 2005. In December 2003, King Harald was diagnosed with bladder cancer. On 8 December of the same year, the cancerous tumor was removed in what the doctors described as a very successful operation.
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