Donald Trump returns to White House after 4-day stay at hospital

Reuters photo

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump returned to the White House Monday night after spending four days at a military hospital where he was treated for coronavirus.

Trump, 77, looked healthy. Showing his fitness, Trump in an unusual decision climbed up the South Portico stairs, instead of the elevators, to go to his residence. He waived at reporters.

The president, after taking off his mask, stood up in the portico facing South Lawns for a few minutes and saluted Marine One.

Earlier, he was discharged from the Walter Reed National Medical Center after doctors treating him found that he was fit enough to go back home.

"Will be back on the Campaign Trail soon!!! The Fake News only shows the Fake Polls," Trump said in a tweet moments before leaving Walter Reed National Medical Center in Bethesda, a Maryland suburb of Washington DC.

His former White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said the president was strong and upbeat. "He's a fighter and will not quit battling this virus or surrender to the liberal mob and forces out to destroy our country," Sanders said in a tweet.

Before boarding Marine One at Walter Reed, Trump told reporters that he was feeling good.

White House physician Dr Sean Conley told reporters at the Walter Reed National Military Center, Trump has exceeded all standard hospital discharge criteria and has received another dose of remdesivir drug in his treatment of COVID19.

"Over the past 24 hours, the president has continued to improve. He's met or exceeded all standard hospital discharge criteria. He has received another dose of remdesivir you're here today, and then we plan to get him home," he said.

"It's been more than 72 hours since his last fever. Oxygen levels, including ambulatory saturations and his work of breathing or all normal though. He may not entirely be out of the woods, yet the team and I agree that all our evaluations and most importantly, his clinical status support the president's safe return home, where he'll be surrounded by world-class medical care 24 seven," Dr Conley said.

Dr Sean Dooley, a pulmonary critical care physician, told reporters that the president continues to do very well.

His vital signs this morning, temperature was 98.1, his blood pressure 134 and 78 and respiratory rate 17 per minute. His heart rate was 68 beats per minute and his last Oxo hemoglobin saturation was 97 per cent on room air, he said.

He currently does not endorse any respiratory complaints, the physician said. According to Dr Brian Garibaldi, director of Johns Hopkins Biocontainment Unit, on Sunday evening, the president received his third dose of remdesivir and he tolerated that infusion without difficulty.

His kidney and liver function continued to be normal, he said.

"Our plan is to give the fourth dose of remdesivir this evening, before he goes back to the White House, and we've made arrangements to deliver the fifth and final dose of his treatment course at the White House tomorrow evening," Garibaldi added.

"He continues on dexamethazone and again. The plan for today is to continue to be up and out of bed, eat, and drink and work as he is able," he said.