Donald Trump claims to not be contagious 'at all' just days after return from hospital

Donald Trump has claimed he is not contagious with Covid-19 "at all" after a three-day stay in hospital.

The comments come after it was revealed that at least 27 people across Donald Trump’s White House, election campaign and military leaders have now tested positive for coronavirus.

Speaking to Fox Business on Thursday morning, he said: “First of all, I think I’m better. I’d love to do a rally tonight. I wanted to do one last night, but I think I’m better to a point that I feel better than I did, I jokingly said, 20 years ago. I feel perfect. There’s nothing wrong."

He added: “I don’t think I’m contagious at all.”

The president attributed his quick recovery to an experimental antibody-based treatment produced by biotechnology company Regeneron, which has not been authorised and is not available to most American citizens.

Howver, Mr Trump also insisted he would have still "done it fine with no drugs," adding: "You don’t need drugs."

Mr Trump had started exhibiting virus symptoms last week and was admitted to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center hospital on Friday October 2.

Trump’s physician Dr. Sean Conley said the president’s oxygen levels had dropped twice early in the course of the virus and he was briefly administered supplemental oxygen.

During his stay at the centre he was treated with the treatment by Regeneron, the antiviral drug Remdesivir, and the cheap and widely available steroid, Dexamethasone.

After three days he was discharged from the centre and returned to the White House where he immediately took off his face mask for a photo, despite being in close proximity to his staff.

Commenting on Trumps statement to Fox Business, Dr. Leana Wen, former Baltimore health commissioner, told CNBC news that the president’s comments were “truly unbelievable.”

“Just less than a week ago, the president was in a hospital being treated for severe illness,” she said in a phone interview. “It’s very likely that he’s still shedding virus right now,” she added.

Wen, who is an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University, added: "“By definition, this is not a mild case,” she said. “We know also that patients with more severe illness could end up having a higher viral load and be infectious for longer."

Dr. Syra Madad, senior director of the system wide special pathogens program at New York City Health + Hospitals, also said that by refusing to quarantine for the appropriate length of time, Trump is demonstrating a “complete disregard for public health guidance.”