Oct 07, 8:28 pm
Marine general tests positive for COVID-19 after Pentagon meeting
The second-highest-ranking officer in the U.S. Marine Corps has tested positive for the coronavirus, the military branch said in a statement.
Assistant Commandant Gen. Gary L. Thomas tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. He had been quarantining since Tuesday after coming into contact with someone who had tested positive for the virus, the Marine Corps said.
The announcement comes a day after Adm. Charles Ray, vice commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, tested positive for the virus.
Nearly all members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are quarantining following a meeting with Ray at the Pentagon last Friday. Thomas attended the meeting in place of Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger, who was traveling overseas.
Thomas will continue to quarantine at home and is experiencing mild symptoms, the Marine Corps said.
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There have been no other positive cases so far among the Joint Chiefs who are quarantining, according to chief Pentagon spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman.
ABC News’ Luis Martinez contributed to this report.
Oct 07, 7:27 pm
Trump wants antibody cocktail available to everyone, calls getting COVID âblessing in disguiseâ
In a nearly five-minute video posted to Twitter Wednesday evening, President Donald Trump said he thought the monoclonal antibody cocktail he received from Regeneron on a compassionate-use basis âwas the key to his recovery,â and that he wants everyone to have access to it.
âI want everybody to be given the same treatment as your president. Because I feel great. I feel, like, perfect,â the president said in his latest video update on his health. He wasnât wearing a mask in the video.
Trump said his administration is trying to get Regeneronâs therapy, as well as a similar one from Eli Lily, authorized on an emergency basis, a process up the Federal Drug Administration.
âI want to get for you what I got — and Iâm gonna make it free — youâre not going to pay for it,â he said, adding that it was his suggestion that he take the antibody cocktail.
So far, fewer than 10 people have received access to the Regeneron treatment outside of clinical trials, Regeneron CEO George Yancopoulos told ABC News on Friday.
During the video, Trump also called getting COVID-19 a âblessing from Godâ and âa blessing in disguise,â because he was then able to try the therapy.
âFor me, I walked in, I didnât feel good. A short 24 hours later I was feeling great,â said Trump, who left Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Monday after he was hospitalized Friday.
Trumpâs doctors said Monday the president âmay not entirely be out of the woods yet,â but they are using a âmulti-pronged approachâ in his treatment, which will continue as he recuperates at home.
ABC Newsâ Ben Gittleson contributed to this report.
