John Prine, Country Music Veteran, Hospitalized and in Critical Condition Following Coronavirus Symptoms

Days after his wife Fiona was diagnosed positive for the coronavirus, country vet John Prine is fighting for his life with symptoms of the same disease. According to a statement released on the singer’s social media, Prine faced a “sudden onset” of symptoms for the disease that is affected the entire world.

Prine was hospitalized on Thursday, March 26 and intubated Saturday for a ventilator while receiving care. That said, the statement from the singer’s family noted his condition was “critical.”

“This is hard news for us to share. But so many of you have loved and supported John over the years, we wanted to let you know, and give you the chance to send on more of that love and support now,” the statement continues. “And know that we love you, and John loves you.”

Fiona Prine shared the same statement on her social media, only a few days after sharing her warning to others about the severity of the illness and why social distancing is important.

“I’m asking you to please stay at home. That’s all,” Fiona Prine said in a video message. “The government can help, and I think they are really starting to really figure out that this is serious, this is life and death for God knows how many Americans. They can help, but, honestly, it is truly in our hands. It is up to us Americans to make an individual decision for our families and say, ‘You know what? This is scary as hell. I may not get a paycheck next week. I don’t know what I’m gonna do with the kids…Just stay home. Please, stay home. I think we’ll get through this if we do it together.”

She continued on with a now-ominous message about spreading the disease to others, including her husband into the bunch. Fiona Prine assumed they might’ve contracted the virus while in Europe before the U.S. began to limit travel.

“John and I returned from Europe last month, and maybe we picked it up there, maybe we didn’t,” Fiona said. “But what’s important now is that I’m not going to spread this. I’m not going to be responsible for passing this onto someone, least of all my husband…There’s a chance he may not have this virus, and we are working really, really hard and being really diligent about all of the protocols. We are quarantined and isolated from each other and members of the family.”

With Prine’s hospitalization, people can truly get a clearer picture of how the virus spreads and how family contact is at the heart of it.