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Trump Covid: President leaves hospital to continue Covid-19 treatment Trump Covid: President downplays virus on leaving hospital
(about 2 hours later)
US President Donald Trump has left hospital, three days after being admitted with Covid-19, vowing to be back on the campaign trail soon. US President Donald Trump has made a dramatic return to the White House to continue his treatment for coronavirus after a three-night hospital stay.
He flew for the short trip back to the White House on the presidential helicopter Marine One. The president removed his mask on the balcony of the White House, where several staff and aides have tested positive for the virus in recent days.
"Feeling really good!" Mr Trump tweeted earlier. "Don't be afraid of Covid. Don't let it dominate your life." "Feeling really good!" Mr Trump tweeted earlier. "Don't be afraid of Covid. Don't let it dominate your life."
More than 7.4 million cases of Covid-19 have been recorded in the US. The virus has killed nearly 210,000 Americans. The US has had 7.4 million cases of Covid-19 and 210,000 deaths.
Questions remain over the seriousness of Mr Trump's illness after a weekend of conflicting statements. The true scale of the outbreak at the White House remains unclear. Questions remain over the seriousness of Mr Trump's illness after a weekend of conflicting statements.
Wearing a navy business suit, tie and mask, Mr Trump walked out of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in the Washington DC suburbs on Monday evening pumping his fist. What happened during Trump's return?
Telling Americans not to fear the disease in a tweet before he left hospital on Monday evening, Mr Trump said: "I feel better than I did 20 years ago!!"
He also tweeted: "Will be back on the Campaign Trail soon!!!"
Mr Trump's diagnosis has upended his campaign for a second term in office, less than a month before the Republican president faces Democratic challenger Joe Biden in the White House election.
Wearing a navy business suit, tie and mask, Mr Trump walked out of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in the Washington DC suburbs pumping his fist.
"Thank you very much everybody," he said, ignoring questions from the media, including one reporter who asked: "Are you a super spreader, Mr President?""Thank you very much everybody," he said, ignoring questions from the media, including one reporter who asked: "Are you a super spreader, Mr President?"
Following the short helicopter ride, Mr Trump was pictured alone on the Truman Balcony of the White House. He removed his protective face mask, before giving a thumbs-up and a military-style salute.Following the short helicopter ride, Mr Trump was pictured alone on the Truman Balcony of the White House. He removed his protective face mask, before giving a thumbs-up and a military-style salute.
A couple of hours later, he tweeted a campaign-style clip of his return set to stirring music.A couple of hours later, he tweeted a campaign-style clip of his return set to stirring music.
Shortly before leaving hospital, the president tweeted: "Will be back on the Campaign Trail soon!!! The Fake News only shows the Fake Polls." Mr Trump also recorded a video message to the American people, urging them to get back to work.
Mr Trump's diagnosis has upended his campaign for a second term in office, less than a month before the Republican president faces Democratic challenger Joe Biden in the White House election. "You're going to beat it [coronavirus]," he told them. "We have the best medical equipment, we have the best medicines, all developed recently."
Telling Americans not to fear the disease in an earlier tweet on Monday, Mr Trump added: "We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!!" He added: "We're going to be out front. As your leader, I had to do that. I knew there's danger to it, but I had to do it. I stood out front, and led."
Speaking to reporters on Monday, the president's doctors avoided specifics of his care, but said he was doing well and would receive another dose of antiviral drug remdesivir before being discharged. Mr Trump also speculated: "Now I'm better, maybe I'm immune, I don't know".
The president's discharge comes as more new cases have been reported among White House staff. He also promised that vaccines were "coming momentarily", although the US Centers for Disease Control has said no vaccine is expected to be widely available before the middle of next year.
At least 12 people close to Mr Trump have now tested positive, as have several junior staff members. An almost messianic message
Many of the people who have tested positive around President Trump attended a meeting at the White House on 26 September that is being scrutinised as a possible "super-spreader event". Donald Trump says he has overcome the coronavirus - and you can, too.
The White House has not revealed how many staff members have tested positive since Mr Trump's own diagnosis. In his video message from the White House, a mask-less Trump tells the American public: "Don't be afraid of it. You're going to beat it."
The latest coronavirus case to emerge from that event, at which the president unveiled his nominee for the US Supreme Court, is a Christian minister. And so the president's message in the final weeks of his re-election campaign takes shape. He contracted the coronavirus because he was an out-front leader and he "had to do that".
Before attending the White House Rose Garden gathering, Pastor Greg Laurie was also with US Vice-President Mike Pence at a prayer march in central Washington DC. "Nobody that's a leader would not do what I did," he said.
The Californian minister is said to be experiencing "mild symptoms" of Covid-19, reports the BBC's US partner CBS News. It is a message almost messianic in its undertones - one that the rest of his party is amplifying. The president has suffered and overcome, and will lead the nation to a promised land beyond the virus.
New York Post columnist Miranda Devine, quote-tweeted by the president, said Mr Trump would return to the campaign trail as an "invincible hero". Georgia Senator Kelly Loeffler tweeted out a video of Mr Trump tackling a virus-headed antagonist.
There is political and personal risk for the president, of course. He could experience a relapse or long-term medical difficulties. Americans who have lost loved ones to the disease may find his words and actions ill-considered or offensive.
The president, however, seems determined to turn his recent weakness into a strength.
What did Trump's doctors say?What did Trump's doctors say?
Navy Cdr Sean Conley, the White House physician, said on Monday afternoon that Mr Trump "may not entirely be out of the woods yet", but that the medical team agreed the president's status and progress "support his safe return home, where he'll be surrounded by world-class medical care 24/7". Navy Cdr Sean Conley, the White House physician, said on Monday afternoon that Mr Trump "may not entirely be out of the woods yet".
He refused to answer questions about when Mr Trump last received a negative test or to go into the specifics of his treatment. He would not offer details regarding the president's scans to check for pneumonia, citing patient protection laws. But he said the medical team agreed the president's status and progress "support his safe return home, where he'll be surrounded by world-class medical care 24/7".
Dr Conley did confirm Mr Trump is still on the steroid dexamethasone and has received three doses of remdesivir. He will receive another before discharge and a fifth at the White House. Dr Conley refused to answer questions about when Mr Trump last received a negative test or to go into the specifics of his treatment. He would not offer details regarding the president's scans to check for pneumonia, citing patient protection laws.
The White House physician did confirm Mr Trump is still on the steroid dexamethasone and has received three doses of antiviral drug remdesivir. He was to receive another before discharge and a fifth at the White House.
When asked about whether Mr Trump was safe to travel for campaign events, Dr Conley said: "We'll see."When asked about whether Mr Trump was safe to travel for campaign events, Dr Conley said: "We'll see."
He also affirmed that he was concerned about his own exposure to the virus while aboard Air Force One.He also affirmed that he was concerned about his own exposure to the virus while aboard Air Force One.
But Mr Trump's medical team repeatedly emphasised how well the president was doing, in Monday's briefing.But Mr Trump's medical team repeatedly emphasised how well the president was doing, in Monday's briefing.
"We remain cautiously optimistic," Dr Conley said, adding that Mr Trump received therapies very early on."We remain cautiously optimistic," Dr Conley said, adding that Mr Trump received therapies very early on.
"If we can get through to [next] Monday with him remaining the same or improving, better yet, then we will all take that final deep sigh of relief.""If we can get through to [next] Monday with him remaining the same or improving, better yet, then we will all take that final deep sigh of relief."
Trump's back What's the latest with the White House outbreak?
Donald Trump has gone "home". The president's discharge comes as more new cases have been reported among White House staff.
Of course, in this case, home is a secure government compound with top-notch medical facilities. Still, the decision that the president could return to the White House was hailed by him and his medical team as an important indication of his improving condition.
"He's back," White House physician Sean Conley said during his Monday afternoon briefing.
Dr Conley and his fellow physicians shared positive details about the president's condition - a lack of fever, good blood-oxygen levels and "no respiratory complaints". But he once again refused to disclose when the president last tested negative for the coronavirus - information that would help determine if Mr Trump exposed anyone else to the virus.
And when pressed for more details on the president's condition, such as evidence of longer-term damage to the his lungs, Dr Conley cited patient privacy.
This patient is the president of the United States, however, and Americans may demand more details about his long-term health and prognosis, particularly as they head to the polls in a month to decide whether to give him another four-year term in office.
Who else around the president has tested positive?
Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany became the latest high-profile figure close to the president to confirm a positive test earlier on Monday.Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany became the latest high-profile figure close to the president to confirm a positive test earlier on Monday.
US media said two other aides to the press secretary had had positive results. Ms McEnany was seen speaking to journalists without wearing a mask on Sunday but said no members of the press had been listed as close contacts by the White House medical unit.US media said two other aides to the press secretary had had positive results. Ms McEnany was seen speaking to journalists without wearing a mask on Sunday but said no members of the press had been listed as close contacts by the White House medical unit.
First Lady Melania Trump, senior aides and three Republican senators have also tested positive.First Lady Melania Trump, senior aides and three Republican senators have also tested positive.
Mrs Trump, who is 50, has been isolating at the White House, reportedly with mild symptoms. In a tweet she said: "I am feeling good [and] will continue to rest at home".Mrs Trump, who is 50, has been isolating at the White House, reportedly with mild symptoms. In a tweet she said: "I am feeling good [and] will continue to rest at home".
At least 12 people close to Mr Trump have now tested positive, as have several junior staff members.
Many of those attended a gathering at the White House Rose Garden on 26 September that is being scrutinised as a possible "super-spreader event".
The latest coronavirus case to emerge from that event, at which the president unveiled his nominee for the US Supreme Court, is a Christian minister from California.
Pastor Greg Laurie, who is said to have mild symptoms, was also with US Vice-President Mike Pence earlier in that day at a prayer march in central Washington DC.