Barbara Walters Now Has the Chickenpox; Remains Hospitalized

After falling and hitting her head at a pre-inaugural party last Wednesday, Barbara Walters will remain hospitalized now with the chickenpox, Associated Press reports.

Doctors closely monitored Walters for 10 days after her fall and noticed that she was running a high temperature.

Her fellow co-host Whoppi Goldberg broke the news to viewers this morning on "The View" confirming the news that the veteran host has come down with the chicken pox.

"Barbara has the chicken pox," said Goldberg. "She's been told to rest. She's not allowed any visitors."

The chickenpox, known as one of the classic childhood diseases, has become less common since the introduction of the chickenpox vaccination. Walters was never diagnosed with chicken pox as a child.

In 2010, Walters underwent open-heart surgery, in which she considers her experience "a crossroad of Life and Death."  She was warned by doctors that if she did not have open-heart surgery, she could die.

Unfortunately, she is facing another health scare today as the chickenpox can be more serious in older adults with possibilities of complications ending in pneumonia. Headaches, fever and chills can result if the illness is not properly handled, or if the patient has a weak immune system.

Walters was transferred from a Washington DC hospital to a facility in New York.  

ABC-TV hopes the 83-year-old woman who helped create shows like "The View" feels better soon.

"No scratching!" Goldberg joked, "We love you, we miss you...We just want to hug you."