By Democrat reporter
US president Donald Trump went through a “very concerning” period on Friday and the next 48 hours will be critical in terms of his care as he battles coronavirus, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said.
The comments came after it was revealed that Mr Trump was administered supplemental oxygen on Friday morning at the White House before he was transported to a military hospital, although staff insisted he had only mild symptoms.
Mr Trump’s doctors, for their part, painted a rosy picture of the president’s health during a press conference at Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre.
But the briefing by navy commander Dr Sean Conley and other doctors raised more questions than it answered.
Dr Conley left murky the issue of whether the president needed supplemental oxygen and declined to discuss exactly when he fell ill.
The president’s doctor also revealed that Mr Trump began exhibiting “clinical indications” of Covid-19 on Thursday afternoon, earlier than previously known.
According to a person familiar with Mr Trump’s condition, the president was administered oxygen at the White House on Friday before he was transported to the military hospital.
Dr Conley, updating the nation on the president’s condition from Walter Reed on Saturday afternoon, said Mr Trump had been fever-free for 24 hours.
While Dr Conley said the president was not currently on oxygen, he refused to say whether the president had ever been on oxygen, despite repeated questioning.
“Thursday no oxygen. None at this moment. And yesterday with the team, while we were all here, he was not on oxygen,” Dr Conley said.
He said that Mr Trump’s symptoms, including a cough and nasal congestion, “are now resolving and improving”.
“He’s in exceptionally good spirits,” said another doctor, Sean Dooley.
The US president Donald Trump said he is “starting to feel good” in a video message posted from hospital.