U.S. President Donald Trump has a "good chance of doing well" after he and First Lady Melania Trump announced they tested positive for the coronavirus, former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb — a Trump appointee — said on CNBC's "Squawk Box" Friday.
What Happened: Trump is in "good health by all reports" and will receive excellent care from White House staff, Gottlieb said.
Trump is also in a "high risk" group because of his age and an elevated body mass index.
Statistics out of the United Kingdom show that 11.6 out of 1,000 people in a similar age category will succumb to the virus, Gottlieb said.
Statistics out of Geneva, Switzerland point to a lower mortality rate in the age group, at 5.6%, while another in Spain showed 3.4%.
"[It's] not trivial, but there is every reason to believe the president would do well and recover," he said.
What's Next: Regardless of symptoms, Trump's doctors are likely considering having him take Gilead Sciences, Inc.'s GILD remdesivir, Gottlieb said.
Even though the treatment is meant for hospitalized patients, there is reason to believe taking it earlier in the infection period leads to improved outcomes, he said.
Steroids are unlikely to be taken, as they are meant for sick people with an inflammatory response, the former FDA commissioner said.
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President Donald Trump at Harrisburg International Airport in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on Sept. 26. White House photo.
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