U.S. presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders hospitalised with chest pains — campaign

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U.S. 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders has halted campaigning after being taken to hospital with chest pains, his campaign said in a statement.

The Senator was taken ill on Tuesday and doctors inserted two stents after finding a blockage in one artery.

"Sen. Sanders is conversing and in good spirits," senior campaign advisor Jeff Weaver said in a statement. "He will be resting up over the next few days. We are canceling his events and appearances until further notice, and we will continue to provide appropriate updates."

Sanders, 78, was in Las Vegas, Nevada, as part of the 2020 campaign when he experienced discomfort and was taken to a hospital for evaluation.

"Following medical evaluation and testing he was found to have a blockage in one artery and two stents were successfully inserted," Weaver said.

Sanders is the oldest among the 19 contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination, was scheduled on Wednesday to hold a town hall in Las Vegas and appear at a gun safety forum.

He has been among the top contenders in the crowded field seeking the nomination to challenge Republican President Donald Trump.

The campaign halt comes the day after Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, reported a big $25.3 million fundraising haul for the third quarter, putting him in the early lead in the money race.

"Thinking of @BernieSanders today and wishing him a speedy recovery. If there's one thing I know about him, he's a fighter and I look forward to seeing him on the campaign trail soon," Democratic rival Kamala Harris, a U.S. senator from California, said on Twitter.