Fox News anchor John Roberts was hospitalized on August 25th due to a severe case of malaria. Roberts, 68, spoke to PEOPLE about his condition while battling the mosquito-borne illness.  “I had been hurting from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. Literally everywhere. I was also beset with uncontrolled shivering all during my show,” Roberts told the outlet. “Initially, I thought it was just muscle cramps and aches. But when I started shivering, I started to lean toward the flu,” he continued. “Thank you to Trace for jumping into the chair today! I somehow came down with a severe case of Malaria. I can honestly say that I am the only person in the hospital with Malaria. In fact, one of my doctors said I’m the first case he has ever seen,” Roberts wrote on X earlier this week. “Thanks to the folks at @InovaHealth for their expertise and compassion…!” he added. Thank you to Trace for jumping into the chair today!I somehow came down with a severe case of Malaria.I can honestly say that I am the only person in the hospital with Malaria. In fact, one of my doctors said I’m the first case he has ever seen.Thanks to the folks at… https://t.co/6ZHiB5Dv8v — John Roberts (@johnrobertsFox) August 26, 2025 More from PEOPLE: Roberts says he “knew it was bad” when his blood work showed that his platelets and white blood cells were both low. “My rheumatologist told me to go to the ER,” he recalls. Once hospitalized, Roberts received the official diagnosis. “I thought, ‘Of course you have malaria… You never do anything in small measures.’ But I was a little scared,” he admits. “Malaria can be deadly if left unchecked.” “I don’t know exactly how ‘severe’ it was from a medical classification, but it sure felt severe,” he adds. “I have never felt that sick in my life.” There are approximately 2,000 cases of malaria diagnosed in the United States every year, with most of them occurring in patients who caught the disease elsewhere. Roberts revealed he recently went on vacation in Indonesia for two weeks. Fox News’ John Roberts Hospitalized with ‘Severe' Malaria After ‘Uncontrolled Shivering' On-Air (Exclusive) https://t.co/SuSihW9jK2 — People (@people) August 28, 2025 Us Weekly provided further info: According to the Mayo Clinic, malaria is a disease caused by a parasite. Signs and symptoms typically begin within a few weeks after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Some patients experience cycles of malaria “attacks.” An attack usually starts with shivering and chills, followed by a high fever, then sweating and a return to normal temperature. The America Reports coanchor suspects he contracted the disease while on a July vacation in Indonesia. According to Roberts, he started feeling sick about 10 days after returning home. He is currently being treated with IV artesunate but continues to experience symptoms. “Yesterday was a down day. I felt horrible all day,” he said. “I also have wild swings in temperature every hour. I’ll be shivering and shaking like a leaf … the next I’ll be sweating.” While Roberts hopes he can be back to reporting the news after Labor Day on Tuesday, September 2, the priority remains getting well.