Baltimore Mayor Cancels Appearances Over Illness

BALTIMORE (AP/WJZ) -- Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has canceled her public appearances Monday as she recovers from a respiratory infection.

The mayor's office says the 44-year-old was taken by ambulance to the hospital Saturday night after complaining of shortness of breath and chest pains during the city's Star-Spangled Banner celebration.

Rawlings-Blake says she has bronchitis and a respiratory infection.

She was released from the hospital Sunday afternoon.

Spokeswoman Caron Brace says Rawlings-Blake canceled her public appearances Monday to "concentrate on returning to optimal health."

Brace says Rawlings-Blake plans to work from home and continue with a few time-sensitive internal meetings.

Rawlings-Blake says in a statement Monday that family, friends and even city residents have reminded her that she has to take care of herself first in order to be a good mayor.