CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta puts Trump's odds of surviving COVID-19 at 'greater than 90 percent'

Dr. Sanjay Gupta on Trump&#039;s COVID-19 diagnosis

(Image credit: Screenshot/Twitter/CNN)

published 2 October 2020

President Trump tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday night, and "obviously, given the president's age and his pre-existing illnesses, he's going to be at increased risk from this disease," CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta said on Friday morning's New Day. "Still, the odds are very much in his favor ... greater than 90 percent, 95 percent chance that he will get through this."

We know that his age, 244 pounds of weight, heart disease, and cholesterol level put Trump at higher risk, Gupta said. "When you're at his age, 65 to 74, it's about a five times greater likelihood that somebody will be hospitalized for this, as compared to somebody younger." But we don't know lots of other important information, he added, like whether he has symptoms or when he was infected, and "we still don't have full vision on his past medical history," including the story behind "that strange visit to Walter Reed back in November."

Either way, Trump now has to isolate — not quarantine, isolate — for up to 14 days now, Gupta advised. and everyone he's been in contact with will "need to be quarantined, not just tested."

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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson "kept on working for several days and then it got worse over time," George Stephanopoulos said on Friday's Good Morning America. ABC News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton said Trump will likely avoid the worst but not get off scot free: "About 80 percent of people infected with COVID-19 do not require hospitalization. That doesn't mean, though, that their disease course will be mild. It just means that they can be managed in a home environment. And we also know that 45 percent of those infected — up to 45 percent — will show no symptoms." Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.