Trump had two oxygen dips but is 'improving'

US President Donald Trump has “continued to improve” as he is treated for Covid-19, his doctors said yesterday, revealing He is likely to be released today.

His medical team said his oxygen levels had dropped twice briefly on Thursday and Friday and he is being treated with steroids, but they gave an upbeat assessment of the 74-year-old president's health and outlook.

"Since we spoke last, the president has continued to improve. As with any illness, there are frequent ups and downs over the course," said Trump's physician Sean Conley.

Conley said the president was flown to Walter Reed military medical center on Friday after a "rapid progression" of his illness, with his oxygen levels dropping worryingly low.

He received supplementary oxygen at the White House before being admitted. 

Brian Garibaldi, another of Trump's doctors, said the president had been "up and around" and was feeling well. 

"Our plan for today is to have him eat and drink, be up out of bed as much as possible, to be mobile," Garibaldi said.

Earlier, concerns mounted over the true state of Trump’s health as the US president’s coronavirus diagnosis raised doubts over transparency from the White House and engulfed the election in further chaos and controversy.

Trump tweeted thanks to his supporters yesterday from the hospital where he is being treated for Covid-19, after a series of contradictory messages from the White House officials caused widespread confusion about his health.

Trump released a four-minute video on Saturday in which he said the “real test” of his condition will come over the next few days.

“Over the next period of a few days, I guess that's the real test, so we'll be seeing what happens over those next couple of days,” Trump said into the camera, looking tired and wearing a jacket and open-necked shirt.

In an early morning tweet yesterday, Trump said “Thank you so much!” - referring to clusters of supporters who gathered on Saturday night outside the Walter Reed hospital waving Trump 2020 flags.

Differing assessments of Trump's health from administration officials on Saturday left it unclear how ill the president had become since he tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday night.

A White House team of doctors said on Saturday morning Trump's condition was improving and that he was already talking about returning to the White House.

Within minutes, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows gave reporters a less rosy assessment, saying, “The president's vitals over the last 24 hours were very concerning and the next 48 hours will be critical in terms of his care. We're still not on a clear path to a full recovery.”

Meadows, whose initial comments were delivered on condition that he not be identified, altered his tone hours later, telling Reuters that Trump was doing “very well” and that “doctors are very pleased with his vital signs.”

Meadows did not clarify the discrepancy in his comments. A Trump adviser who spoke on condition of anonymity said the president was not happy to learn of Meadows’ initial remarks.

White House doctor Sean P Conley told reporters outside the hospital on Saturday that Trump had not had trouble breathing, and was not given oxygen at Walter Reed.

However, The Sunday Telegraph quotes sources close to the president as saying Trump was given oxygen on Friday night - as his vital signs were "very concerning." 

There were also reports that Trump had experienced breathing difficulties that day, the paper says.