Chris Christie, 58, has been released from hospital after a week of COVID-19 treatment where he was under observation and taking remdesivi...
Chris Christie, 58, has been released from hospital after a week of COVID-19 treatment where he was under observation and taking remdesivir to combat the infection following the SCOTUS 'superspreader' event.
The former New Jersey governor and Donald Trump adviser had been in Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey for seven days after checking himself in last Saturday 'out of an abundance of caution'.
Christie, who helped Trump prepare for his first presidential debate days before they both tested positive but reportedly had to learn of the president's COVID diagnosis on TV, was treated with anti-viral drug remdesivir - the same experimental drug used to treat the president.
Chistie's condition was unclear over the course of the week with conflicting reports surfacing and the governor himself keeping quiet about his health despite promising to 'keep the necessary people informed'.
At least 34 people in Donald Trump's inner orbit have now tested positive for the virus according to a leaked memo, with at least nine cases among people who attended the 'superspreader' event at the White House on September 26 where the president officially announced Amy Coney Barrett as his Supreme Court pick.
Chris Christie, 58, has been released from hospital after a week of COVID-19 treatment where he was under observation and taking remdesivir following the SCOTUS 'superspreader' event. Christie with former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani at a White House briefing September 27
Christie tweeted Saturday morning to announce he had left the hospital and to thank medical staff for his treatment
The former New Jersey governor and Donald Trump adviser was at Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey (pictured) for seven days after checking himself in last Saturday 'out of an abundance of caution'
Christie tweeted Saturday morning to announce he had left the hospital and to thank medical staff for his treatment.
'I am happy to let you know that this morning I was released from Morristown Medical Center,' he tweeted Saturday morning.
'I want to thank the extraordinary doctors & nurses who cared for me for the last week.'
He said he would 'have more to say' about his condition over the coming week.
'Thanks to my family & friends for their prayers. I will have more to say about all of this next week,' he tweeted.
Christie's battle against the virus was one of the most serious among Trump's close circle as his hospital stay rumbled on for a week.
The average length of a hospital stay for a COVID-19 patient outside of China is five days, according to the medical journal BMC, making Christie's stay two days longer than the average patient.
Speculation was mounting over his condition with the Republican and his doctors providing no official health updates throughout the week.
Christie told CNN he had been given the experimental drug remdisivir, the outlet reported Friday night.
Christie pictured maskless and hugging attendees at Amy Coney Barrett's ceremonial nomination to the Supreme Court on September 26. Christie's battle against the virus was one of the most serious among Trump's close circle as his hospital stay rumbled on for a week
At least nine people have now tested positive for coronavirus, after the 'superspreader' Rose Garden event. They are 1: Donald Trump, 2: Melania Trump, 3: University of Notre Dame President John Jenkins, 4: Senator Mike Lee, 5: Senator Thom Tillis, 6: Kellyanne Conway, 7: Chris Christie, as well as Hope Hicks and Bill Stepien (not pictured)
Former NJ Governor Chris Christie was seen flouting social distancing guidelines and not wearing a mask
Attorney General Bill Barr was seen at Saturday's event in the Rose Garden shaking hands and not wearing a mask as he said goodbye to former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and others
The drug, developed to treat Ebola, was originally reserved only for severely ill hospitalized COVID-19 patients but the FDA extended its authorized use in August to all hospitalized patients, regardless of the severity of their condition.
Trump was also administered the drug after he was hospitalized for four days with COVID-19 last Friday.
A source said they had spoken to Christie Wednesday night and that he was doing well, reported the New York Post.
'He's in good spirits and getting good care,' the source said.
This came after unsubstantiated rumors surfaced on social media this week that the one-time presidential candidate had taken a turn for the worse and was on a ventilator in the ICU.
Christie tweeted last Saturday afternoon to confirm his diagnosis and announce he was checking himself in to hospital
Several media outlets including USA Today were quick to fact check the rumors saying there was no evidence to support the claims.
Matt Katz, a WNYC reporter who covered Christie for more than five years, tweeted Wednesday that he 'IS not ON A VENTILATOR' and that he had spoken to 'multiple people who've been on the phone with the governor daily'.
On Thursday, Christie's successor Governor Phil Murphy told NJ.com Christie is 'the quintessential Jersey fighter.'
The former governor suffers from asthma which puts him at increased risk of serious illness from the respiratory virus.
Christie was hospitalized for his asthma back in 2011 when he had difficulty breathing on route to an event.
The 58-year-old has also long battled his weight.
In 2013 he underwent lap-ban surgery and lost an estimated 85 pounds but he appears to have regained some of it in the following years.
In January 2019, Christie claimed that Trump had told him to lose weight.
The CDC classes obesity as another risk factor for suffering complications with COVID-19.
Christie tweeted last Saturday afternoon to confirm his diagnosis.
'I just received word that I am positive for COVID-19. I want to thank all of my friends and colleagues who have reached out to ask how I was feeling in the last day or two,' he wrote.
'I will be receiving medical attention today and will keep the necessary folks apprised of my condition.'
Hours later he said he was checking himself into Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey as a precaution.
'In consultation with my doctors, I checked myself into Morristown Medical Center this afternoon,' he tweeted.
'While I am feeling good and only have mild symptoms, due to my history of asthma we decided this is an important precautionary measure.
'I am thankful for our hardworking medical professionals and look forward to coming home soon.'
He told CNN at the time he had a slight fever and was achy but felt well enough to drive himself to the hospital.
Christie attended Amy Coney Barrett's ceremonial nomination to the Supreme Court on Saturday 26 September where multiple attendees have now tested positive for COVID-19.
Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien and Former adviser Kellyanne Conway, two senators - Mike Lee from Utah and Thom Tillis from North Carolina - plus the president of Notre Dame university, John Jenkins, are some of those to test positive after attending the event.
The Supreme Court nomination event of Judge Amy Coney Barrett on September 26 is thought to have been a 'superspreader' event
First lady Melania Trump, who tested positive for COVID-19 after the event, was seated next to one of Barrett's children at the event
With few wearing masks to protect against the coronavirus, Republican senators joined other guests Saturday as Trump introduced 7th U.S. Circuit Court Judge Amy Coney Barrett, 48, as his nominee to the Supreme Court
At least 100 people were in attendance Saturday in the White House Rose Garden. So far, at least nine people including the President and First Lady have tested positive for coronavirus
The gathering attracted around 100 people - many of them not wearing face masks; all sitting close.
Christie was one of many attendees who were photographed hugging, shaking hands and chatting without face masks.
Christie was on the fourth row for the official nomination announcement, and was photographed hugging other attendees afterwards.
He was also seen chatting with Conway, who also tested positive.
Christie was also one of around five or six people including Stepien and Conway who gathered in the White House's map room last Monday to help Trump prepare for his first presidential debate against Joe Biden.
Christie later revealed that 'no one was wearing masks in the room when we were prepping the president'.
The former governor was also seen at a White House briefing event with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani on September 27.
Last Friday, Trump was transported to Walter Reed hospital in Washington, DC, after he tested positive for the virus late Thursday.
Christie reportedly found out about Trump's diagnosis on TV rather than from the White House, after the news broke on Bloomberg before an official announcement.
Trump has since left hospital and returned to the White House claiming to be 'cured' of the virus.
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