Norwegian King's health deteriorates due to blood infection

The health of Norway's King Harald V has deteriorated, according to palace officials. The 89-year-old monarch, who has been hospitalized for several days, is being treated for a bacterial blood infection. The Royal House in Oslo announced on Sunday evening that he is receiving antibiotics and that the situation, while serious, is described as stable.

King Harald V was admitted to the Rikshospitalet in Oslo on Monday. He suffers from a form of anemia, specifically hemolytic anemia, which causes red blood cells to break down too quickly, leading to fatigue, paleness, and shortness of breath. His hospitalization was reportedly due to complications arising from a cortisone treatment for his condition.

Members of the royal family, including Crown Prince Haakon and his wife Princess Mette-Marit, have visited the King in the hospital. His wife, Queen Sonja, along with Haakon, Mette-Marit, his granddaughter, and his sister, visited him at his bedside on Sunday, according to reports.

The palace had previously canceled a planned engagement for the King in early September, following a two-week sick leave. King Harald V, who has reigned since 1991, is Europe's oldest living monarch. He has faced various health issues in recent years but has consistently refused to abdicate, citing his lifetime oath to the parliament. His son, Crown Prince Haakon, serves as regent during his illnesses. Notably, Crown Princess Mette-Marit was also recently discharged from the hospital after a lung transplant, having been diagnosed with a rare, incurable form of pulmonary fibrosis in 2018.