McConnell breaks weeks of silence about his hospitalization

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) addressed his hospitalization Sunday, following a fall some four weeks ago.

Why it matters: McConnell's comments are his first public explanation of the hospitalization that fueled weeks of speculation about his health ahead of his planned retirement.

Driving the news: McConnell said in a statement released by his office that he developed "a mild case of pneumonia" while hospitalized after a fall about four weeks ago. He was admitted after sustaining minor injuries in the fall.

The Office of the Attending Physician said in a separate statement included in the same email that the 84-year-old seven-term senator had experienced several falls this year that were attributed to his post-polio condition.

What he's saying: "My doctors have confirmed that I didn't break any bones or suffer a concussion. I didn't have a heart attack or a stroke," McConnell said.

"I don't have any tumors or hemorrhages. But I was briefly unconscious and was taken to the hospital. While receiving excellent care over the past several weeks, I've also had to deal with a mild case of pneumonia," he added.

"And part of my decision to retire at the end of my term this coming January was being honest about the demands of Senate work. But I still have unfinished business to complete on your behalf, and I have every intention of finishing the job you elected me to do."

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details about McConnell's statement. ...