Trump says he is to leave hospital, 'feeling really good'

Trump says he is to leave hospital, 'feeling really good' Washington (dpa) - US President Donald Trump said he is to leave the military hospital where he has been treated for coronavirus later on Monday, saying he was "feeling really good."

"I will be leaving the great Walter Reed Medical Center today at 6:30 P.M. [2230 GMT]," he wrote on Twitter.

"Feeling really good! Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life. We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!"

The president has been at the medical centre outside Washington since Friday. His physician, Sean Conley, was due to brief reporters on Monday afternoon.

Earlier, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said he was "optimistic" that Trump would be discharged from the hospital in the course of the day.

Meadows said medics were making "unbelievable progress" on treating Trump, that he has "continued to improve" and that his "strength has been incredible."

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Monday said she tested positive for the coronavirus, becoming the latest in a growing cluster of people around Trump to be infected.

"I will begin the quarantine process and will continue working on behalf of the American people remotely," McEnany said in a statement posted on Twitter.

She said she was not experiencing any symptoms and that no journalists were considered close contacts.

McEnany has been criticized in recent days for briefing reporters at the White House without wearing a face mask.

Trump's top adviser Hope Hicks, campaign manager Bill Stepien and his wife Melania have also been infected.

"My family is grateful for all of the prayers & support! I am feeling good & will continue to rest at home," the first lady tweeted on Monday.

Trump tweeted nearly 20 times in the early morning, mostly about the November 3 election. His illness has thrown the campaign into a tailspin.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, who has tested negative for the coronavirus repeatedly in recent days, was set to resume in-person campaigning on Monday.

Biden said he would participate in the second presidential debate with Trump, scheduled for October 15, if health experts deemed it appropriate and if it was approached with caution.

Some aspects of Trump's coronavirus illness remain unclear. Doctors said the president's oxygen levels dropped twice and he received supplemental oxygen at least once. He had a fever, but the temperature was not revealed.

The president's physician said the medical team was still awaiting more findings on his lungs.

Trump, 74, was on a steroid and was undergoing a five-day treatment course of Remdesivir, a therapeutic. He also received an antibody cocktail.

In what appeared to be a show of strength to supporters, and despite likely still being infectious, Trump briefly left the hospital on Sunday. Trump was driven in a black government vehicle past fans gathered outside the medical centre and waved at them.

The White House said the drive was approved by the medical team "as safe to do," but critics said the move endangered those around him.

At times, the medical team have seemed to paint an overly rosy picture, creating confusion, particularly as it has been combined with the White House's refusal to get into some details.

The president often did not wear masks in public and held large gatherings. He attended fundraisers in New Jersey just hours before he tested positive on Thursday. It remains unclear when exactly he was infected.

There have been more than 7.4 million confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States and nearly 210,000 deaths, according to a tracker by Johns Hopkins University.