I think I'll be back soon, next few days real test, says Donald Trump

White House admits president's condition had been worse than revealed

US President Donald Trump, who was admitted to a military hospital for treatment of Covid-19, said he has started to “feel much better” and thanked the American people and global leaders for their support.

“I came here. Wasn't feeling so well. I feel much better now. We're working hard to get me all the way back. I have to be back because we still have to Make America Great Again,” Trump said in a video message from the military hospital in a suburb of Washington on Saturday.

However, White House physician Sean Conley has said the president is "not yet out of the woods”. “While not yet out of the woods, the team remains cautiously optimistic,” Dr Conley said, adding that the plan for Sunday is to continue observation in between doses of Remdesivir, closely monitoring his clinical status while fully supporting his conduct of presidential duties. Conley, in a memorandum issued late Saturday night, said the president had received Regeron's antibody cocktail on October 2.

“President Trump continues to do well, having made substantial progress since diagnosis," Conley said, adding that the president completed his second dose of Remdesivir without complications.

Conley said the president remains fever free and off supplemental oxygen with a saturation level between 96 and 98 per cent all day.

Biden surges 14 points in NBC/WSJ poll

Joe Biden leads Donald Trump by 14 percentage points in a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll taken after Tuesday’s debate but before the president was diagnosed with coronavirus. Biden led Trump 53 per cent to 39 per cent in the national poll, his highest margin. Bloomberg

Pompeo cuts short Asia trip

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to Tokyo to attend the second ministerial meeting of the four nations under the Quad — India, Japan, Australia and US — but will not go to Mongolia and South Korea as originally planned. PTI