Madonna Breaks Silence After She Was Taken to the ICU With Infection

Madonna appears at the 30th annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York on May 4, 2019. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Singer-songwriter Madonna has issued her first public statement after it was reported that she was hospitalized in an intensive care unit with a bacterial infection.

In a statement on social media, the 64-year-old performer, who was born Madonna Louise Ciccone, said that she is “incredibly grateful for all the blessings” in her life.

“My first thought when I woke up in the hospital was my children,” the longtime pop star said. “My second thought was that I did not want to disappoint anyone who bought tickets for my tour. I also didn’t want to let down the people who worked tirelessly with me over the last few months to create my show. I hate to disappoint anyone.

“I assure you, I'll be back with you as soon as I can.”

Last month, the performer’s manager, Guy Oseary, wrote on Instagram that she had spent several days in an intensive care unit after becoming ill days before that, adding at the time that she was expected to make a full recovery. A lengthy tour was set to kick off in Vancouver on July 15.

Live Nation confirmed the tour postponement, citing Mr. Oseary’s post.

The Celebration tour is scheduled to make stops in Detroit, Chicago, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Denver, Atlanta, and Boston, among other cities, and its first leg was slated to end on Oct. 7 in Las Vegas. Mr. Oseary said that details about rescheduled dates will be shared soon.

Mr. Oseary also posted to social media that the “Material Girl” singer had developed a “serious bacterial infection” that needed treatment, but that her health was “improving.” He didn’t disclose the type of bacterial infection, nor how she developed it.

In the meantime, however, there were numerous articles with spurious sourcing that claimed that Madonna was in a coma or was on the verge of death amid her hospitalization. One published by the New York Post claimed that she was given opioid-reversal agent Narcan, or naloxone, to be revived. The report said that the drug was used because the performer was in the throes of septic shock, not due to drug abuse on her part, and it added that there was no evidence she had overdosed on opioids. Neither Madonna nor her manager has publicly commented on that report or others speculating about her health.

In response to her message posted on social media, the performer received a flood of support, including from fellow singers and celebrities. “We are with you all the way, Madonna,” socialite and fashion designer Donatella Versace wrote on July 10.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.