EU Commission head cancels engagements due to 'severe' pneumonia

ISTANBUL

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has been diagnosed with pneumonia, prompting her to cancel several official engagements in the coming days, a spokesperson said on Friday.

"The president has canceled her external engagements for the first two weeks of January due to severe pneumonia," said European Commission spokesperson Stefan de Keersmaecker.

Von der Leyen would miss a speech in Lisbon and a trip to Gdansk for the inauguration of Poland's EU presidency, he said, adding that the cancelled appointments will take place at a later stage.

Pneumonia, a lung infection that can cause flu-like symptoms such as cough and fatigue, typically requires a few weeks to recover from, though those with weakened immune systems, the elderly, and infants may take longer to heal.