Feeling Great: Trump holds first event after Covid diagnosis

Washington: President Donald Trump rallied hundreds of cheering supporters for a campaign-style comeback event at the White House on Saturday, jumping back into the election race nine days after being stopped in his tracks by Covid-19.

"I am feeling great!" Trump declared as he stepped out to a White House balcony -- tugging off his mask to address the crowd below, most of them masked under their red "Make America Great Again" hats, but with little social distancing.

"Get out and vote -- and I love you," Trump told supporters, who chanted back "USA" and "Four more years" throughout the address lasting just under 20 minutes.

Badly trailing his 77-year-old Democratic rival Joe Biden in the polls less than four weeks from Election Day, Trump has been counting the days until he can hit the ground again.

The White House doctor announced late Saturday the president was "no longer considered a transmission risk."

Tests showed there was "no longer evidence of actively replicating virus" and that Trump's viral load was "decreasing," Sean Conley said -- though he did not state that the president is now virus-free.

Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that, for mild or moderate Covid-19 cases, isolation and precautions can be discontinued 10 days after symptom onset, and once patients have been fever free for 24 hours. However, the severity of Trump's illness has not been confirmed.