Survivor's Lisa Whelchel Diagnosed With West Nile Virus

Lisa Whelchel, 49, who was best known as one of the teen stars of The Facts of Life until she popped up for a whole new generation to enjoy as one of the reality contestants on Survivor: Philippines, is facing a whole new kind of challenge in recovering from West Nile virus.

"Dr. just called with blood test results," Whelchel tweeted on Tuesday. "I have West Nile. Ugh. I'm fine, just tired. Takes a year to recover."

While Whelchel held her own on CBS's Survivor, making it at least up to Episode 10, which airs next week, there is no direct evidence that her illness is connected to her work on Survivor, despite the fact that West Nile is carried by mosquitoes. According to People, there have been 4,000 cases reported in the U.S. this year.

Whether it did or not, however, Whelchel wouldn't change a thing. "I didn't have one moment when I regretted being out there," she said. "In fact, the contrary. I was having an adventure; I was doing something that was a challenge, that was very hard." Perhaps there's a winner in our midst and we don't even know it?

Whelchel, who split from her husband of 24 years, Steve Cauble, barely a week before her Survivor tryout, is expected to make a full recovery.

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