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

COVID-19 victim Donald Trump was last night taken to hospital less than 24 hours after testing positive for the virus.

A White House spokesman insisted the switch to Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre was “out of an abundance of caution and at the recommendation of his physician and medical experts”.

Trump’s physician Sean Conley had earlier revealed that the president had “as a precautionary measure received an 8g dose of Regeneron’s polyclonal antibody cocktail”, which is administered to help reduce virus levels and speed recovery.

If Trump becomes seriously ill, the US constitution allows for Vice President Mike Pence to take power temporarily.

Conley reported in June that Trump, 74, weighed 17st 6lb. At 6ft 3in, that puts him just over the obesity threshold.

Being male and in his mid-70s also puts Trump in higher risk groups, with men twice as likely as women to die from Covid.

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention says people aged 65 to 74 have a 90 per cent 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

BY CHRIS BUCKTIN Insiders say the president is “desperate” to be seen in public after his diagnosis.

He once called it a “political hoax” and told the American public: “It’s like a miracle, it will disappear.”

He and wife Melania tested positive after months in which he downplayed the pandemic, even though it has infected 7.3million Americans and killed 205,000.

Yesterday he tweeted: “FLOTUS [First Lady] and I tested positive for COVID-19.We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER.”

Melania, 50, yesterday said both she and her husband were “feeling good”.

However, experts say those most at risk will often get far more severe symptoms in the second week after diagnosis.

The diagnosis came a month before polling day as Trump escalates his campaign.

Despite the virus, he refused to suspend his rallies, which are attended by thousands of people, often not wearing face coverings.

White House staff 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 t rave l l i ng with Trump from a rally in Minnesota. Her symptoms began on Wednesday.

Trump learned of Hicks’ testing posi t ive on Thursday but despite being around her throughout the week, he continued to meet other people.

Some raised the possibility y Trump had become a “super- spreader” after he chose to o continue with his rallies and over- turn a poll lead by rival Joe Biden. .

On Thursday, he also travelled d to his golf resort in Bedminster, r, New Jersey, for campaign events. . Trump, not wearing a mask, was s in contact with dozens of people. .

Yesterday, rival Biden wished d Trump and Melania a “swift t recovery”.

And Prime Minister Boris Johnson also wished the couple a “speedy recovery”. ry”.

Russi an presi d ent Vladimir Putin told Trump: mp: “Your inherent vitality, good od spirits and optimism will help you cope with this.”

Hu Xijin, boss of Chinese se newspaper Global Times, es, said the Trumps had “paid id the price for his gamble to o play down Covid-19”.