Justin Bieber suspends his world tour to 'rest and get better' after Ramsay Hunt syndrome diagnosis
Justin Bieber has said he is taking another break from his Justice world tour to “make my health a priority”, amid his ongoing recovery from Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS).
The Canadian singer, 28, said his recent shows in Europe had “taken a real toll” and he needs more time to “rest and get better”.
RHS is due to viral reactivation and is one of 60 causes of facial palsy, or facial paralysis as it is known in the US.
Posting on his Instagram story, Bieber said he had given “everything I have” during a recent show in Brazil.
“After getting offstage the exhaustion overtook me and I realised I need to make my health the priority right now,” he said.
“So I’m going to take a break from touring right now. I’m going to be OK but I need to take time to rest and get better.
“Thank you for all your prayers and support throughout all this. I love you all passionately.”
Bieber is just eight shows into his rescheduled world tour, which will see him perform across six continents. His first show was staged in May with tour dates penciled in until March 2023.
The singer was next due to perform on Wednesday (September 7) in Santiago, Chile.
The postponement of his tour comes just over a month after he announced his return to touring, having previously postponed several US dates.
He told fans he had been doing facial exercises to regain movement but it would still take time to recover.
Bieber revealed his RHS diagnosis in June, saying he has “full paralysis” on one side of his face.
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“It is from this virus that attacks the nerve in my ear in my facial nerves and has caused my face to have paralysis," he said in a video posted on Instagram.
“As you can see, this eye is not blinking. I can’t smile on this side of my face. This nostril will not move, so there’s full paralysis on this side of my face.”
RHS cannot be passed from one person to another, though it is a complication from shingles - a type of transmissible disease.
If the immune system becomes weakened and is less able to fight off infection, the body can become vulnerable to a reactivation of the virus, according to the charity Facial Palsy UK.
Celebrities and close friends of Bieber have praised the star for his honesty, since he made the news public, including DJ Khaled, Romeo Beckham and his wife Hailey Bieber.