US: Bernie Sanders has heart procedure, cancels campaign events

US Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders had a heart procedure for a blocked artery, his campaign said on Wednesday, adding that the senator is cancelling events and appearances “until further notice”.

The campaign said 78-year-old Sanders experienced chest discomfort during an event on Tuesday and sought medical evaluation.

The campaign added that two stents were “successfully inserted” and that Sanders “is conversing and in good spirits”.

His campaign manager, Faiz Shakir, was on a telephone call with supporters on Tuesday night but did not mention any health concerns about the candidate.

Shakir said the “state of the campaign is strong”.

Sanders recently cancelled some appearances in South Carolina because he lost his voice. The campaign said at the time he felt fine.

Sanders is among the top polling candidates in the Democratic 2020 race. On Tuesday, his campaign said it had raised more than $25m in the third quarter, the biggest haul for any Democratic candidate so far this year.

This is Sanders’s second bid for the Democratic nomination. He lost to Hillary Clinton in 2016.