Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett (R) greets guests as Donald Trump speaks with wife Melania at a White House event, September 26, 2020 (Doug Mills/New York Times)

Donald Trump is taken to Walter Reed Military Hospital with Coronavirus, less than 18 hours after announcing on Twitter that he, wife Melania, and White House aide and confidante Hope Hicks are infected.

The latest White House and Republican figures to test positive are Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway, campaign manager Bill Stepien, and Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Mike Lee of Utah.

The news came as the US death toll reached 208,695, with 906 fatalities on Friday. Confirmed cases are 7,332,200, an increase of 54,441 in 24 hours.

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Throughout Friday, White House personnel played down any notion that Trump’s condition is serious, with Chief of Staff Mark Meadows saying he had “mild symptoms”. Communications Director Alyssa Farah maintained that Trump “has been working throughout the day”.

But speculation increased with no statement from Trump’s doctor and no activity by Trump on Twitter.

Finally, an update from Dr. Sean Conley said he had given Trump a single infusion of an experimental antibody cocktail Regeneron, Vitamin D, zinc, melatonin, the antacid famotidine, and aspirin.

Soon after that, at 6:20 p.m., Trump walked to the Marine One helicopter for the trip to the hospital. He wore a face mask and gave reporters a thumbs-up and a short wave, but did not stop to talk.

Meadows and other staff travelled with him, despite the risk from the confined space of the helicopter. Trump deplaned 10 minutes later at Walter Reed, saluting and climbing into a vehicle.

A video on Trump’s Twitter account showed him addressing the camera: “I want to thank everybody for the tremendous support. I’m going to Walter Reed Hospital. I think I’m doing very well but we’re going to make sure that things work out.”

Conley said Trump, “fatigued but in good spirits”, did not require any supplemental oxygen and was taking the antiviral drug Remdesivir. Officials declared that Trump would work from the hospital’s Presidential suite.

He tweeted late Friday, “Going well, I think! Thank you to all. LOVE!!!”

Melania Trump “remains well” with “only a mild cough and headache”, said Conley. Campaign manager Stepien has mild symptoms and is in quarantine, a source said.

A White House Super-Spreader Event

The White House scrambled to control the narrative amid revelations of its initial deception and reports of more high-profile cases.

Journalists established that Trump’s confidante Hicks fell ill on Wednesday night, more than 24 hours before the White House acknowledged her infection.

Despite the risk, Trump did not postpone a Thursday night political dinner in New Jersey. GOP donors, paying up to $250,000 for the event at Trump’s Bedminster golf club. were reportedly worried and even panicked that they might have the virus.

And the White House did not notify the site of Tuesday night’s Presidential debate, the Cleveland Clinic, or anyone at the event — including Joe Biden — about possible exposure.

The positive tests of Conway, known for her misleading statements to the press; Stepien; Sens. Tillis and Lee; and Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel pointed to a possible “super-spreader” event — such as the White House Rose Garden ceremony for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett last Saturday.

The audience was packed together for the outside ceremony, and met Barrett inside the White House. Almost no one wore masks.

The president of of Notre Dame University, where Barrett was a faculty member, also announced Friday that he has Coronavirus.

Sources said Barrett had a mild case of the virus this summer.

The White House said Vice President Mike Pence tested negative on Friday. However, at least three members of the White House press corps returned positive tests.

Biden: “A Bracing Reminder” About Virus

Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden, who tested negative in two tests on Friday, sent well wishes to the Trumps during a campaign speech in Grand Rapids, Michigan: “[My wife] Jill and I pray that they will make a quick and full recovery.”

He continued:

This is not a matter of politics. It is a bracing reminder for all of us that we must take this virus seriously. It is not going away automatically.

We have to do our part and be responsible. It means following the science and listening to the experts, washing our hands, social distancing. It means wearing a mask in public and encouraging others to do so as well. It means masking mandates nationwide.

Citing crowd size and medical advice, Biden cancelled a follow-up event at his campaign headquarters.

His remarks and Trump’s hospitalization were a telling contrast with Trump’s jab at Biden in Tuesday’s debate: “He could be speaking 200 feet away, and he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.”