PRESIDENT & Fright House
Fears for Trump, 74, as obesity and age put him at far greater risk of death ‘Super-spreader’ alert after leader held big rally and met dozens of people
AT RISK Trump aides, including his son and daughters, in Cleveland on Tuesday
COVID-19 victim Donald Trump was last night being monitored around the clock as his age and obesity put him at greater risk of death.
If Trump becomes seriously ill, the US constitution allows for Vice President Mike Pence to take power temporarily.
Yesterday bookmakers William Hill suspended betting on the next president after a flurry of wagers on Pence.
The firm said: “This is an extraordinary event... we have decided that the betting is too volatile.”
Sean Conley, the President’s physician, reported in June that Mr Trump, age 74, weighed 17st 6lb. At 6ft 3in, that puts him just over the threshold into obesity.
Being male and in his mid-70s also puts Trump in higher risk groups, with men around twice as likely as women to die from coronavirus.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people aged 65 to 74 have a 90% higher risk of death than those in the 18-29 age group.
For people aged 75 to 84, the risk of death is 220 times higher.
Insiders say the President is “desperate” to be seen in public after his diagnosis, given his stance on the virus.
He once called it a “political hoax” and told the American public: “It’s like a miracle, it will disappear.”
He and wife Melania both tested positive after months in which he downplayed the pandemic, even though it has infected
7.3 million Americans and killed more than 205,000.
Yesterday he tweeted:
“FLOTUS [ First Lady] and I tested positive for COVID-19.
“We will begin our quara n t i n e and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER.”
Melan ia , 50, yesterday said both she and her husband were “feeling good”.
However, experts say that those most at risk will often get far more severe symptoms in the second week after diagnosis. Mr Conley said the couple were “both well at this time” and added: “They plan to remain at home within the
JET Hicks boards Air Force
One to Minnesota on Wednesday
were last night being grilled about how long he’d had the virus, despite aides calling him the
“most tested man in the world”, and whether there had been a cover-up.
His positive test came after top adviser Hope Hicks, 31, was confirmed to have Covid on Thursday morning, hours after travelling with the President on the Air
Force One plane from a rally in Minnesota. Her symptoms began on Wednesday night. Trump learned of Hicks’ testing positive on Thursday morning but despite being around her throughout the week, he continued to meet other people that day. Some raised the possibility Trump had become a “super-spreader” after he chose to continue with his controversial campaign rallies and overturn a poll lead by rival Joe Biden.
On Thursday he also travelled to and from his golf resort in Bedminster, New Jersey, for two campaign events. Trump, not wearing a mask, was in close contact with dozens of people.
Yesterday, rival Mr Biden wished Trump and Melania a “swift recovery”. And Boris Johnson, who was lucky to survive after contracting Covid in
March, also wished
“speedy recovery”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent Trump a telegram saying: “I am certain that your inherent vitality, good spirits and optimism will help you cope with this dangerous virus.”
Last month it emerged that Trump knew all along about the severity of the virus. US journalist Bob Woodward recorded 18 interviews with him from December to July and the US the couple a leader is heard on tape saying the virus was “deadly stuff ” – before the first US death had been confirmed.
The President explained that he had wanted to avoid a public panic.
Hu Xijin, boss of Chinese state-run newspaper Global Times, said the Trumps “have paid the price for his gamble to play down Covid-19”.
Referring to press secretary Ms Hicks having possibly infected Trump, US TV host Scott Nevinsto tweeted: “Once again, a pretty young woman has gotten Donald Trump in trouble because he did not wear protection.”
Prof Trish Greenhalgh, of Oxford University, said: “The chain of infection is important because it will influence the likelihood that Mr Trump infected Mr Biden and others during Tuesday’s presidential debate.”