Sen. Dianne Feinstein hospitalized with shingles in California

March 3 (UPI) -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who announced last month she is stepping down after three decades on Capitol Hill, has been hospitalized with a case of shingles.

A spokesperson for Feinstein, D-Calif., told the San Francisco Chronicle that she was receiving treatment on Thursday at a San Francisco hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

"I was diagnosed over the February recess with a case of shingles," Feinstein, 89, said in a statement. "I hope to return to the Senate later this month."

Feinstein's office said earlier this week that she was away from Capitol Hill to deal with a "health matter" as she missed several Senate votes.

Shingles, which is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox, is a painful rash that develops on one side of the face or body, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rash consists of blisters that typically scab over in seven to 10 days and fully clear up within two to four weeks.

Other symptoms of shingles can include a fever, headaches, chills and an upset stomach.

Feinstein's absence comes after Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., checked himself into a hospital last month to receive treatment for clinical depression. Fetterman will be away from the chamber for an indefinite period of time.

Feinstein, the oldest serving senator, was first elected to the body in 1992. She announced earlier this month that she will not seek re-election. The election of Feinstein and former Sen. Barbara Boxer, who served from 1993 to 2017, marked the first time two women represented a state in the Senate.