On Thursday, during the White House coronavirus taskforce briefing, President Donald Trump attracted widespread criticism after he suggested research into whether Covid-19 might be treated by injecting disinfectant into the body.

He also appeared to propose irradiating patients' bodies with UV light, an idea dismissed by Dr Deborah Birx at the briefing.

On Friday, President Trump said his comments had been made "sarcastically".

However, doctors warned that some people might take the president's comments to heart. Speaking to the BBC, Dr Jonathan Spicer warned that "these products have corrosive properties that melt or destroy the lining of our innards."

Video Journalist: Shrai Popat