Trump says will leave hospital later today, asks not to be afraid of Covid-19

US President Donald Trump said he felt "really good" and will leave a military hospital where he is being treated for Covid-19 later on Monday, despite a wave of infections that have hit his White House four weeks before the US election.

Trump, who announced on Friday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus and was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center outside Washington later that day, said he would leave the facility at 6:30pm EDT (2230 GMT).

"I will be leaving the great Walter Reed Medical Center today at 6:30PM Feeling really good! Don't be afraid of Covid. Don't let it dominate your life. We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!" he said on Twitter.

Trump, 74, was running a high fever and was given supplemental oxygen after his blood oxygen levels dropped on Friday, according to his White House physician, Dr Sean P Conley. Doctors have been treating him with a steroid, dexmethasone, that is normally used only in the most severe cases.

Trump was reluctant to go the hospital last week and is eager to get out, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters earlier on Monday.

President Donald Trump has met or exceeded all standard hospital criteria to be discharged, and while he is not yet out of the woods, he is able to go home, Dr Conley told a news conference on Monday.

"Over the past 24 hours ... he's met or exceeded all standard hospital discharge criteria," Conley said, adding it had been more than 72 hours since Trump's last fever and that his oxygen levels were normal.

"Though he may not entirely be out of the woods yet, the team and I agree that all our evaluations, and most importantly, his clinical status, support the president's safe return home, where he will be surrounded by world-class medical care 24/7," Conley also said.