October 2: Trump's Covid diagnosis

By Veronica Rocha, Melissa Macaya, Melissa Mahtani and Fernando Alfonso III, CNN

Updated 12:44 a.m. ET, October 3, 2020
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4:57 p.m. ET, October 2, 2020

President Trump has had a fever since this morning

From CNN's Kevin Liptak

President Trump has had a fever since this morning, a person familiar with the matter says. The person said the fever remains consistent with the White House's earlier description of "mild symptoms."

This is in addition to new information released by the White House doctor, which described Trump as "fatigued."

Trump announced on Twitter he tested positive for coronavirus early Friday morning. 

5:13 p.m. ET, October 2, 2020

Trump has been administered experimental treatment as a "precautionary measure"

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. headquarters in Tarrytown, New York in 2015.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. headquarters in Tarrytown, New York in 2015. Kris Tripplaar/Sipa USA/AP

President Trump has been administered a dose of experimental Regeneron treatment, according to a memorandum from the President’s physician.

“As of this afternoon the President remains fatigued but in good spirits. He’s being evaluated by a team of experts, and together we’ll be making recommendations to the President and First Lady in regards to next best steps,” the physician writes.

The memo also says first lady Melania Trump remains well with only a mild cough and headache, and the remainder of the First Family are well and tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 today.

Here's what the memo said:

"I release the following information with the Permission of President Donald J. Trump.
Following PCR-confirmation of the President’s diagnosis, as a precautionary measure he received a single 8 gram dose of Regeneron’s polyclonal antibody cocktail. He completed the infusion without incident. In addition to the polyclonal antibodies, the President has been taking zinc, vitamin D, famotidine, melatonin and a daily aspirin.
As of this afternoon the President remains fatigued but in good spirits. He’s being evaluated by a team of experts, and together we’ll be making recommendations to the President and First Lady in regards to next best steps.
First Lady Melania Trump remains well with only a mild cough and headache, and the remainder of the First Family are well and tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 today."

Regeneron is a biotechnology company whose Covid antibody drug is currently in phase 3 trials. You can read more about the trial here.

4:13 p.m. ET, October 2, 2020

Nancy Pelosi tests negative for Covid-19

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi holds her weekly press briefing on October 1 in Washington, DC.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi holds her weekly press briefing on October 1 in Washington, DC. Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tested negative for Covid-19, her deputy chief of Staff Drew Hammill confirmed in a tweet.

Earlier Pelosi said she got tested out of "an abundance of caution" after meeting with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin this week to discuss a potential stimulus bill. Prior to their meeting, Mnuchin had met with President Trump, who has now tested positive for coronavirus, in the Oval Office.

Read the tweet below:

4:23 p.m. ET, October 2, 2020

President would be transferred to Walter Reed if critical care was needed, source says

From CNN's Nadia Kounang

A view of Walter Reed Medical Center on October 2 in Bethesda, Maryland.
A view of Walter Reed Medical Center on October 2 in Bethesda, Maryland. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

Much of the President’s care for Covid-19 can be managed at the White House, a source familiar with the White House Medical Unit said.

However, if the President did require critical care – for example, if he required intubation or proning, where a patient is positioned on his stomach – he would likely then be moved to the presidential suite at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the source said.

The source also added the unit is responsible for contact tracing involving the first and second families, as well as cabinet officials and senior administration officials, all of which are overseen by the unit.

3:59 p.m. ET, October 2, 2020

Experimental drugs are an option for Trump if needed, says source close to White House Medical Unit

From CNN's Nadia Kounang

Treatment for the President could include experimental drugs that have not yet received emergency authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration and are unavailable to the general public, according to a source familiar with the White House Medical Unit.

Instead of enrolling in a trial or going through a compassionate use program, the source noted that the WHMU would likely work to obtain those drugs through already-established relationships. 

These drugs could be available to the President, but that does not mean they will be necessary.

Current treatments for Covid-19 are limited. There are three that have received emergency use authorization (EUA) from the FDA: the antiviral remdesivir, the steroid dexamethasone and convalescent plasma, which is donated by people who recovered from the coronavirus.

According to the FDA, an EUA allows “unapproved medical products or unapproved uses of approved medical products to be used in an emergency to diagnose, treat, or prevent serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions” from chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threat agents “when there are no adequate, approved, and available alternatives.”

3:46 p.m. ET, October 2, 2020

White House economic adviser says Trump has a "very moderate case"

From CNN's Betsy Klein 

Larry Kudlow speaks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House on September 2.
Larry Kudlow speaks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House on September 2. Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

It’s unclear whether he misspoke, but White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow, who this morning described Trump’s coronavirus as “mild,” this afternoon described Trump as having a “very moderate case,” but said he was doing “just fine.”

“The reports are, the chief says they're doing well. It is a very moderate case. The President was kind of barking out orders for all of us, giving us tasks this morning to follow through. He's on the phone so I have not seen him. I last spoke to him last evening, I had not talked to him today, but apparently he's doing just fine,” Kudlow said during an appearance on Fox News. 

He declined to say what time Trump was “barking out orders,” saying that he is an “early riser, as a general rule.”

Kudlow reiterated there was continuity of government: “We’re going about our business. The government is functioning, there's no question about that. And we just hope for a speedy recovery in the residence,” he said. 

Kudlow graded Friday’s jobs report as an “A-minus” and reiterated much of what he said about the stimulus bill earlier this morning. 

“We're in the neighborhood of $1.5 trillion, it's not precise, but we're in that neighborhood, and we're still way, way below where the other side is. Look, you know, we don't need a gigantic humongous bill. I mean with all respect I know there's political differences and ideological differences, but we can really do that another time,” he said, calling for deals in “targeted key areas.”

Money for states, he said, is still an area of “considerable disagreement,” adding that that should be done “later.”

3:35 p.m. ET, October 2, 2020

Congressman present at Tuesday's debate tests negative for Covid-19

From CNN's Sarah Mucha

Rep. Ruben Gallego is seen during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on July 9.
Rep. Ruben Gallego is seen during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on July 9. Greg Nash/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego, who attended Tuesday’s presidential debate, said he has tested negative for Covid-19. 

"I tested negative today for COVID-19. Please continue to wear a mask and social distance," Gallego tweeted.

Read the tweet:

3:33 p.m. ET, October 2, 2020

Biden official on campaign's decision to go ahead with Michigan trip

From CNN’s MJ Lee

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden prepares to board a plane in New Castle, Delaware, on his way to Grand Rapids, Michigan, on October 2.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden prepares to board a plane in New Castle, Delaware, on his way to Grand Rapids, Michigan, on October 2. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden decided to go ahead with his campaign travel to Michigan this morning after getting back a negative Covid-19 test. 

Three days ago Biden shared a debate stage with Donald Trump – who has now tested positive for Covid-19 – and while their podiums on debate night were more than socially distanced (CNN's Dan Merica reported more than 12 feet apart), they were still indoors in a room that had dozens of people in the audience.

Some of those people, including members of Trump’s family, were not masked. 

Pressed on the thinking behind their decision to go ahead with the Michigan trip today after the negative Covid-19 test, a Biden official said:

"Vice President Biden tested negative and was not in close contact with President Trump. He also wore a mask at all times, except for when he was on stage. And we implement social distancing, mask wearing, and other best practices in all of our campaigning."

 

3:12 p.m. ET, October 2, 2020

Rudy Giuliani tests negative for Covid-19

From CNN's Michael Warren

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani speaks during a news conference held by  US President Donald Trump in the Briefing Room of the White House on September 27 in Washington.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani speaks during a news conference held by US President Donald Trump in the Briefing Room of the White House on September 27 in Washington. Joshua Roberts/Getty Images

Christianné Allen, the spokesperson for Rudy Giuliani, just confirmed that the former New York City mayor and President Trump’s lawyer has tested negative for coronavirus.

Earlier she confirmed that Giuliani is in New York and was quarantining there while he awaited his results.