Lloyd Austin: Defence secretary returns to hospital

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has been admitted to hospital again, one week after he apologised for a secretive hospital stay in December.

Mr Austin, 70, was admitted to the Walter Reed Medical Center on Sunday afternoon for symptoms of an "emergent bladder issue", the Pentagon said.

The White House has been informed, the statement said, and Mr Austin will continue to carry out his duties.

Mr Austin previously had surgery for prostate cancer.

He was readmitted to hospital on New Year's Day with severe pain in his leg, hip and abdomen because of complications related to the procedure. An evaluation found a urinary tract infection and he remained in hospital for more than two weeks.

Senior defence officials and the Biden administration did not know that Mr Austin was seriously ill until three days after his re-admission in January.

The defence secretary is just below the president in the chain of command for the US military, and is regarded as one of the most important members of the Cabinet.