PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte has extended his well wishes to United States President Donald Trump and first lady Melania after they both tested positive for COVID-19, Malacañang said on Monday, October 5.
“Malapit na magkaibigan ang ating Presidente at si President Trump. Ang mensahe po ng Presidente (The President and President Trump are close friends. The President’s message is) he wishes President Trump and his wife first lady Melania a full and speedy recovery,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said during a press briefing in Boracay.
On early Friday morning, the 74-year-old U.S president announced in a tweet that he contracted COVID-19 along with his wife.
“Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!” he wrote.
Trump was admitted to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, where he is being treated for the coronavirus.
Dr. Sean Conley, Trump’s physician, on Sunday said the president experienced “two episodes of transient drops in his oxygen saturation.” On Friday morning, Trump “had a high fever and his oxygen saturation was transiently dipping below 94%,” the doctor added.
The president has been given Gilead’s antiviral drug remdesivir, Regeneron’s antibody cocktail and the steroid dexamethasone, according to his team of doctors.
The president, wearing a mask, left the hospital in an SUV with the Secret Service on Sunday afternoon to wave at supporters outside of Walter Reed.
Meanwhile, first lady Melania Trump remains quarantined at the White House.
“My family is grateful for all of the prayers & support! I am feeling good & will continue to rest at home. Thank you to medical staff & caretakers everywhere, & my continued prayers for those who are ill or have a family member impacted by the virus,” she said in a tweet on Monday morning.
Trump’s close aide, Hope Hicks, had tested positive last week after traveling with the president. Other administration officials who have since tested positive for the virus include presidential assistant Nicholas Luna and White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, whose result was announced on Monday.
Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel, former counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie also tested positive last week.
The U.S. remains as the country with the most COVID-19 cases in the world. To date, it has a total of 7,418,107 infections with 209,725 fatalities.
Meanwhile, the Philippines has 324,762 cases, with 5,840 fatalities and 273,123 recoveries. The country has the highest number of infections in Southeast Asia. It also recently ranked as the 20th country with most cases, surpassing Pakistan.
