Trump 'doing very well' in hospital, says physician

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) – US President Donald Trump is making progress at a military hospital where he was admitted as a precaution after testing positive for COVID-19, the White House physician said on Saturday.

Trump is currently at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

“This morning Trump is doing very well. At this time, we are extremely happy with the progress and [continue to] monitor him very closely,” Dr. Sean Conley said at a news briefing at the medical center.

“The president this morning is not on oxygen, not having difficulty breathing or walking around. His oxygen saturation level is 96%.”

Col. Sean Dooley, a doctor at Walter Reed, said the president “is in exceptionally good spirits.”

It has been 72 hours since Trump’s diagnosis and he has not had a fever for the last 24 hours, according to the physicians.

Earlier, Conley confirmed that Trump, who was moved to the military hospital on Friday evening, has started Remdesivir therapy.

- 'Critical next 48 hours'

According to a source familiar with the president's health, Trump’s vitals over the last 24 hours were “very concerning” and the next 48 hours will be “critical.”

“We’re still not on a clear path to a full recovery,” the source told pool reporters.

Trump, who announced his diagnosis early Friday, falls in the category of highest-risk COVID-19 patients, as he is considered medically obese and is 74 years old.

His announcement came hours after Hope Hicks, one of his closest aides who traveled with him as recently as Wednesday, tested positive for the virus.

Trump has spent much of the year downplaying the severity of the virus and has repeatedly appeared in public without a mask.