Trump blasted by medical experts over call for study of disinfectant injections to treat virus

Michael Howie28 April 2020

Medical experts have hit out at Donald Trump after he suggested that research should be carried out into whether the coronavirus might be treated by injecting disinfectant into the body.

The President made the remark after a Homeland Security official mentioned the ability of disinfectants like bleach to kill the virus on surfaces.

“And then I see the disinfectant where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning?” Mr Trump asked at his latest daily briefing. “Because, you see, it gets on the lungs, and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it’d be interesting to check that.”

Mr Trump also proposed experts look into whether irradiating the bodies of patients with UV light could help fight the infection. Pointing to his head, Mr Trump added: “I’m not a doctor. But I’m, like, a person that has a good you-know-what.” Doctors reacted with horror at the comments, pointing out that disinfectants like bleach are poisonous and dangerous when mishandled.

“This notion of injecting or ingesting any type of cleansing product into the body is irresponsible, and it’s dangerous,” Dr Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist and global health policy expert, told NBC News.

Kashif Mahmood, a doctor in Charleston, West Virginia, tweeted: “As a physician, I can’t recommend injecting disinfectant into the lungs or using UV radiation inside the body to treat Covid-19. Don’t take medical advice from Trump.”

Last night’s briefing included a presentation on US government research that indicated the coronavirus appeared to weaken more quickly when exposed to sunlight and heat.

Mr Trump, who was joined by Dr Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response co-ordinator, said: “Supposing you brought the light inside of the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way. And I think you said you’re going to test that too. Sounds interesting.” He asked Dr Birx if she had ever heard of using “the heat and the light” to treat coronavirus. “Not as a treatment,” Dr Birx replied

The death toll in the US was later revealed to have topped 50,000 with the number of confirmed cases rising by a near-record amount to hit more than 891,000, the highest in the world.

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