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On Saturday, a series of contradictory and confusing information was released about the health of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, who was hospitalized in a Maryland hospital since Friday night after developing symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused for the coronavirus. It turns out, for example, that Trump was given supplemental oxygen prior to hospitalization due to worsening symptoms, and that the diagnosis may have been made earlier than publicly announced.
The uncertainties about Trump’s health began between Friday and Saturday, when the White House had limited itself to giving the newspapers very little information about the symptoms developed by the president before entering. In a statement from Trump’s doctor, Sean Conley, he simply said that Trump had been treated with remdesivir, an antiviral and a mixture of experimental antibodies.
The confusion intensified on Saturday, with the press conference given by several doctors in front of the Walter Reed military hospital, where Trump is hospitalized. Doctors described a positive and carefree situation, claiming that Trump was fine and fever-free for 24 hours, but refusing to answer several questions from reporters: for example, if Trump had ever received supplemental oxygen and when did symptoms appear. early symptoms. Conley limited himself to saying that Trump was not receiving supplemental oxygen at the time and at the same time argued that the positivity diagnosis had been made 72 hours earlier, so on Wednesday morning, a different reconstruction than the official one, which until at the time he was talking about Friday. Dr. Brian Garibaldi added that the president had been receiving experimental antibody therapy for approximately 48 hours, as of Thursday afternoon.
Shortly after, the White House argued that Conley and Garibaldi had made a mistake in speaking. In a note posted later, Conley also said he was wrong, claiming that Trump’s first coronavirus positivity diagnosis took place Thursday night. However, several journalists found the denials unconvincing.
This is an important point: between Wednesday and Thursday Trump had participated in events and had met with many people, also without adopting the security measures suggested by the health authorities, such as the use of a mask. If Conley’s reconstruction was confirmed, it means that Trump chose not to go into isolation despite knowing it was positive, thus becoming a health risk for many people (Thursday morning, however, Hope’s positivity Hicks, a Trump councilor who had been in close contact with him in the previous days).
– Read also: How was Trump’s last week?
Shortly after the press conference, the situation became even more complicated. Several reporters outside the military hospital wrote that “a person with knowledge of the president’s health” had said that Trump’s condition was not as good as the doctors had claimed: “The president’s condition in the last 24 hours. have been very concerning and the next 48 hours will be critical to their care. We are not yet on the road to full recovery. ”Shortly thereafter, an online video began circulating showing how the reporters’ source was Mark Meadows, the Chief of Staff of the White House.
It is unclear why Meadows said those things to the press, adding confusion to an already highly uncertain situation.
UPDATE: Immediately after the press conference ended and before the anonymous statement was sent, Mark Meadows informed reporters without cameras, but was caught on a broadcast asking not to register. pic.twitter.com/JyrhSmu1Y0
– Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) October 3, 2020
After the Meadows statements, several American newspapers, including Associated Press, confirmed through their own anonymous sources that prior to hospitalization Trump’s blood oxygen saturation level had dropped worryingly, forcing doctors to give him supplemental oxygen.
Comments circulated about his health, wrote the New York Times, “They have angered the president,” who has therefore decided to intervene directly. During the Italian evening on Saturday, Trump posted on Twitter a video of about four minutes taken from the hospital in which he said he was much better and wanted to return soon to take charge of the electoral campaign ahead of the presidential elections in November.
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 3, 2020
On Saturday night, Meadows, trying to discredit earlier statements, told a Reuters that “the president is fine” and called Fox NewsTrump’s favorite channel praises the president’s “incredible courage” and highlights improvements in his health. However, Meadows confirmed that Trump’s conditions on Friday were worse than previously announced by the White House.
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