President Donald Trump, said to be ‘fatigued but in good spirits’, has been admitted to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in the Washington DC suburbs.
This comes after he tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday.
The president was flown to hospital from the White House by helicopter on Friday and is expected to remain there ‘for the next few days’.
In an 18-second video posted to Twitter, Trump said: ‘I think I’m doing very well. But we’re going to make sure that things work out. The first lady is doing very well. So thank you very much.’
His physician, Sean Conley, said in a memorandum late on Friday: ‘I am happy to report the president is doing very well.’ He said the president was not in need of supplemental oxygen, adding that ‘in consultation with specialists we have elected to initiate Remdesivir therapy’.
The BBC reported that, at 74, and as someone categorised as obese, Trump is in a higher-risk category for Covid-19.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said President Trump had been in good spirits and worked throughout the day on Friday.
‘Out of an abundance of caution, and at the recommendation of his physician and medical experts, the president will be working from the presidential offices at Walter Reed for the next few days,’ she said.
Among others close to Trump who have tested positive are aide Hope Hicks, campaign manager Bill Stepien and former White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway. Republican Senators Mike Lee and Thom Tillis have also tested positive.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, tested negative on Friday. The Bidens wished the presidential couple a speedy recovery.