White House: Secretary Austin's doctors think he may need additional care

By Nandita Bose

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White House National Security spokesman John Kirby said on Sunday Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's doctor's think he may still need some additional care.

"We'll see, you know, when he can be released, but obviously they still feel like he may need some additional care...part of that is just physical therapy," Kirby told CBS's 'Face the Nation.'

Kirby said "there is routine regular communication" between President Joe Biden and Austin and that the secretary remains "actively involved and engaged" from the hospital.

Austin remains hospitalized and is in good condition, the Pentagon said on Saturday, adding that it did not yet have a specific date for his release.

Austin, 70, was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland on Dec. 22 to treat prostate cancer. He returned to the hospital on Jan. 1 due to complications including a urinary tract infection and has remained there ever since.

President Joe Biden said on Friday that he has confidence in Austin despite what Biden agreed was a lapse in judgment by the Pentagon chief over his secret hospitalization.

Austin's failure to tell Biden he was hospitalized drew criticism from lawmakers and caught the White House by surprise.

(Reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington; Editing by Andrea Ricci)