US President Donald Trump was hospitalized less than 24 hours after he was diagnosed with the Coronavirus.
The White House said the decision to transfer him to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center was “out of extreme caution.”
Trump began showing “mild symptoms” of Covid-19 on Thursday after revealing that he and his wife had entered quarantine late Wednesday.
The White House said it was “tired, but in good spirits.”
The president’s symptoms include a low-grade fever, according to BBC US partner, CBS News.
This news comes just over a month before the presidential election, as he will face Democratic challenger Joe Biden.
A White House spokesman said in a statement: “President Trump remains in good spirits, has mild symptoms, and is working all day.
Out of extreme caution and on the recommendation of his doctor and medical experts, the president will operate from the presidential offices at Walter Reed over the next few days.
“President Trump appreciates the flow of support for him and the first lady alike.”
Walter Reed, located in the suburbs of Washington, DC, is one of the largest and most well-known military medical centers in America. It’s where US presidents usually go to get their annual checkups.
Under the US Constitution, if Mr. Trump becomes too ill to carry out his duties, he can hand over his powers to the Vice President temporarily. This means that Mike Pence will become acting president until Trump returns his list again and can regain his position.
Fundamentally modified competition
The US presidential election has been turned upside down.
This sentence could have been written for any number of moments in a tumultuous year in American politics, but nothing quite like this has happened this year, this decade, this century.
Just 32 days before the presidential election, Donald Trump tested positive for Covid-19. Given his age, 74, he is in the high risk category for disease complications. At the very least, he will have to quarantine while he is being treated, which means that the US presidential competition – at least his side of it – has fundamentally changed.
The initial effects are evident. The president’s strict campaign schedule – which included visits to Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Georgia, Florida and North Carolina in just the past week – is suspended indefinitely.
Trump will certainly have alternatives on the path for him, but given that he has relied heavily on his family and senior administration and campaign officials for such tasks in the past, many of them may be forced into quarantine due to their exposure to the virus. , This campaign process will also be disrupted.
Mr. Trump’s physician, Sean Connelly, said in a statement earlier on Friday that the President had received “as a precaution a dose of 8 grams of the Regeneron Multibody Cocktail” at the White House. Medication is given to help reduce virus levels and speed up healing.
Dr. Conley said he was also taking zinc, vitamin D, famotidine, melatonin and aspirin.
“He is still exhausted this afternoon, but his spirits are good,” he added. The first lady was “fine with a mild cough and headache.”
Biden himself and his wife, Jill, tested negative on Friday.
The Democratic White House candidate tweeted after the result, “I hope that serves as a reminder.” “Wear a mask, maintain a social distance, and wash your hands.”
Biden employees said he will travel to Michigan on Friday as planned for many of the campaign’s events. He and his wife wished the presidential couple a speedy recovery.
The process of tracking all of the president’s communications in recent days continues, officials said, adding that Mr. Trump is considering how to address the nation or reach out to the American people on Friday.
But he pulled out of a phone call with the frail seniors scheduled for Friday, leaving Vice President Mike Pence to chair the meeting.
On Thursday, the first couple said they intend to self-isolate after Hope Hicks, a close Trump aide, tested positive. Soon after, they also received positive test results.
There was criticism of Trump’s decision to go to a fundraising campaign attended by dozens of people in New Jersey on Thursday, apparently when officials already knew about Ms. Hicks’ symptoms.
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