WASHINGTON — US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has been released from hospital and resumed his duties, the Pentagon has said.

Austin, 70, was admitted to the critical care unit at a DC-area hospital on Sunday for symptoms of an "emergent bladder issue".

In a statement, Austin's doctors said he was in "good condition" after receiving non-surgical treatment.

They added that the bladder issue was unrelated to Austin's prostate cancer diagnosis of late last year.

This latest hospital stay "will have no effect on his excellent cancer prognosis", said Dr John Maddox and Dr Gregory Chesnut.

The Pentagon chief had been under scrutiny for failing to disclose previous hospital stays related to his cancer diagnosis in December and January.

Austin apologized for his handling of the incident, which drew criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike and stoked concerns about both transparency and security.

The defense 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.

Three separate investigations were launched as a result.

The secretary is expected to testify before Congress later this month about his failure to advise officials of his illness.

The Pentagon announced on Sunday that the secretary had been admitted to hospital again, adding that the news had been disclosed to the chain of command.

Austin was in the intensive care unit for the duration of his stay and briefly transferred duties to his deputy. He canceled a trip to Nato headquarters, where he was due to lead a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in Brussels on Wednesday.

After his release from the hospital on Tuesday evening, Austin will work from home an unspecified period, his doctors said, before returning to his office at the defence department.

"He is anticipated to continue his full recovery," they said. — BBC