Conley will not be drawn on when or how Trump was infected. Conley says Trump is “male and slightly overweight” but other than that, he does not have any significant risk factors for Covid-19. He says Trump’s heart rate and blood pressure are within normal range. As to why the president was taken to hospital if he isn’t severely ill, Conley said it’s because Trump is “the president of United States”.
He clarifies an earlier statement and says Trump was not on oxygen on Thursday or Friday either. Odd given that Conley would not say earlier if Trump had never been on oxygen.
Trump has received antibody therapy and is on a five-day treatment of remdesivir.
Conley says the president has been “fever free” for 24 hours and is in “good spirits”. He says Trump is not on oxygen and has not needed any today. Conley will not put a date on releasing the president as it’s “hard to tell” this early. Conley says he is hopeful the president will not need to go on oxygen in the future.
He is repeatedly asked if the president has ever been on oxygen since his diagnosis. Conley says he is not on oxygen now.
“The first week of Covid and in particular the days seven to 10 are the most critical in determining the likely course of this illness. At this time the team and I are extremely happy with the progress the President has made,” Conley said. “Thursday he had a mild cough and some nasal congestion, fatigue, all of which are resolving and improving.”
Dr Sean Conley has started his briefing on Donald Trump’s health. He starts with the president’s thanks for the messages of support from around the world. He is “extremely grateful for support and prayers”
Conley says Trump is “very well”. He says he is “extremely happy” with the president’s condition and his symptoms are “improving”.
“This morning the president is doing very well,” Conley said. “As reported yesterday, consultation with this group, I recommended we bring the President up to Walter Reed as a precautionary measure to provide state-of-the-art monitoring and any care that he may need.”
Chuck Grassley, the 87-year-old Republican senator from Iowa who is third in line to take over from Donald Trump if the president is unable to perform his duties (Vice-President Mike Pence and House speaker Nancy Pelosi are the first two), has not been tested for Covid-19 as his doctors say he has not been in close contact with anyone with the virus.
Except he was in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing for 90 minutes on Thursday morning with Mike Lee, who tested positive. https://t.co/XzJJL8UET3
It’s an interesting tactic given Grassley’s age and importance, particularly as he met with Mike Lee, who has Covid-19, for 90 minutes earlier in the week. But the GOP’s policy on the virus has been rocky at best in recent weeks.
We’re still waiting for Dr Sean Conley to give an update on Donald Trump’s health, by the way.
While we wait for an update on the president’s health, two Republican senators have tested negative for Covid-19. Three others - Mike Lee, Thom Tillis and Ron Johnson – have tested positive in the last 24 hours.
Oklahoma senator James Lankford and Florida senator Rick Scott both said they had tested negative on Saturday. Scott initially told Fox News he was positive but later said he had misspoke.
Oklahoma GOP Senator James Lankford who tested negative for COVID-19 will still quarantine until October 12th after meeting several times this past week with Utah GOP Senator Mike Lee who tested positive for the coronavirus. https://t.co/wMCdbqe0AL
Sean Conley is an osteopath, so not a specialist on viruses but he will no doubt be fully briefed by the medical staff at Walter Reed. Conley is also a navy officer and has served in the US and Afghanistan. We’re still waiting for him to appear to brief us on Donald Trump’s health. He was due to appear around 15 minutes ago, at 11am Washington DC time.
A microphone has been set up on the steps of Walter Reed hospital as we wait for an update from Donald Trump’s doctor, Sean Conley, on the president’s health. No sign of Conley as yet. He was due to speak a few minutes ago...
As we wait for an update from Donald Trump’s doctor on the president’s health, Republican senator Marco Rubio has demanded more transparency from the White House.
A significant increase in conspiracy theories & outrageous claims since the President’s diagnosis
Lies spread much faster than fact checking
This is why we need frequent,detailed & transparent updates from @WhiteHouse
And why we should all be skeptical of outlandish rumors
“A significant increase in conspiracy theories & outrageous claims since the President’s diagnosis. Lies spread much faster than fact checking. This is why we need frequent, detailed & transparent updates from @WhiteHouse. And why we should all be skeptical of outlandish rumors,” he tweeted on Saturday morning.
There have been a number of conspiracy theories around the president’s health following his Covid-19 diagnosis, both from supporters and opponents. Some have speculated (without basis) the diagnosis is a ploy to win Trump support before the election, while others (again, without basis) claim that China has helped infect the president.
Arwa Mahdawi has more on the conspiracy theories around Trump’s illness:
Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, have tested negative for Covid-19, a White House official told CNN on Saturday morning. The Vice-President is tested every day for coronavirus and his result also came back negative yesterday. The last time Pence and Donald Trump came into close contact is believed to have been on Tuesday at the White House.
Pence is due to take part in Wednesday’s vice-presidential debate with Kamala Harris in Salt Lake City.
Pence would take over from Trump if the president is unable to continue his duties.