White House doctor Sean P. Conley said the President Donald Trump is “doing very well” this morning. He said the President was initially suffering from a mild cough and nasal congestion, which are now improving. Another medic said Trump is in exceptionally high spirits, and repeated a joke the President this morning where he said “I could walk out of here today”.
The President’s physician said his medical team is “extremely happy” with Trump‘s progress.
Trump is not on oxygen, and does not have any difficulty breathing.
But journalists repeatedly probed the doctor on whether the President has ever been on oxygen, but Mr Conley repeatedly repsonded “he is not currently on oxygen”.
Medics said the President will undergo a five day course of Remdesivir, an intravenous antiviral drug sold by Gilead Sciences Inc that has been shown to shorten hospital stays among COVID patients.
They said there is currently no timeline for Trump’s release from hospital.
The doctors who gave the briefing also said the President has been free of a fever for 24 hours.
They said the current priority is for Trump to eat and stay hydrated.
It comes after President Trump was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre in Bethesda, Maryland last night after testing positive for coronavirus.
Trump was seen wearing a mask and suit as he walked slowly from the White House to a waiting helicopter.
He uploaded a brief video message to Twitter, and said: “I think I’m doing very well, but we’re going to make sure that things work out.”
Late on Friday, Mr Conley said Trump was doing very well, did not need supplemental oxygen, and had received a first dose of Remdesivir.
He added that the President was “fatigued but in good spirits”.
Trump is also taking zinc, vitamin D, famotidine (the generic name for Pepcid AC), melatonin and daily aspirin.
First Lady Melania Trump, who has also tested positive for coronavirus, has not been taken to hospital with the President and will remain quarantined in the White House.
She tweeted saying she has “mild symptoms”.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he is sure the president will “come through” his treatment “very well”.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday morning, Mr Johnson said he rang the White House on Friday night and added: “I think obviously everybody’s wishing him and Melania the very best and hoping that they recover speedily and I’ve no doubt that he will, he’ll make a very strong recovery.”
When asked if he had any advice for Trump, Mr Johnson added: “I think that he will be doing exactly what the doctors tell him to do and I’m sure he will be having the best care he can possibly get.”