Mitch McConnell shares new 'proof of life' photo six weeks after entering hospital
US Senator Mitch McConnell has publicly shared a new photo six weeks after entering hospital amid mounting speculation surrounding his health.
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The 84-year-old Kentucky Republican politician has now missed the last 38 votes on the Senate floor after he was hospitalised on June 14 following an episode that saw emergency services called to his Washington address.
The new image and accompanying statement mark the first update from McConnell’s team since July 12.
Further updates from his office add that the Republican is currently undergoing “intense physical therapy” but offered no timeline for his return.
In the statement, released on Monday, McConnell’s office confirmed that the senator “continues his recovery from a fall at home in June,” adding: “He is not yet medically cleared to leave the rehab facility and return to the office.”
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“Since his discharge from hospital care, he has maintained a strenuous course of physical therapy and rehabilitation, including multiple sessions a day designed to rebuild strength and reduce the risk of future falls,” the OAP statement read.
Pressure continues to mount on the Republican party amid growing speculation over the US Senator's health, with several online commentators and fellow politicians alike demanding additional proof of life.
It comes amid suggestions the senator's condition is worse than is being publicly disclosed, with earlier reports that responders performed CPR on a person at the address.
The comments from the US Senator's office follow an earlier statement, which detailed a fall at his home that ultimately led to "a mild case of pneumonia".
The new image, as with an earlier photo that was released by his office, features his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.
Theories surrounding the Senator's condition continue to circulate online, with unverified speculation linking Ms Chao to a return trip to China just 48 hours after his hospital admission, reports of home renovations, and authorised medical personnel reporting no signs of the senator at the hospital he was admitted to in Washington.
It comes as Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear continues to insist he is yet to hear from the Senator, adding to mounting speculation surrounding his health, alongside criticism linked to the day-to-day representation of local citizens.
McConnell's office did not provide a timeline for his return. He remains at a rehabilitation centre.
His office has previously released a note from the Office of the Attending Physician (OAP), in which a doctor reportedly visits the US politician on a daily basis to discuss "all aspects of his rehabilitation care".
"Since his discharge from hospital care, he has maintained a strenuous course of physical therapy and rehabilitation, including multiple sessions a day designed to rebuild strength and reduce the risk of future falls," the OAP, a federal agency that provides healthcare for members of Congress and Supreme Court justices, said.
"His bout with childhood polio continues to be a significant factor in his mobility. He is not yet medically cleared to leave the rehab facility and return to the office."