WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has been hospitalized "for an "emergent bladder issue," and has transferred his duties to his deputy. According to a statement from the Department of defense, Austin was rushed by his security detail to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center around 2,20 p.m. (1920 GMT) Sunday.

Austin was diagnosed with prostate cancer in December and hospitalized, Xinhua news agency reported.

The defense secretary, 72, was under scrutiny for failing to divulge his health issue (prostrate cancer diagnosis) and hospitalization. He had apologised for it last week.