President Joe Biden tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday while he was in Las Vegas for a series of events, the White House said.
In a statement, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden tested positive “following his first event in Las Vegas.”
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“He is vaccinated and boosted and he is experiencing mild symptoms,” Jean-Pierre said. “He will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time. The White House will provide regular updates on the President’s status as he continues to carry out the full duties of the office while in isolation.”
Biden was already scheduled to head to Delaware after his trip to Las Vegas.
Biden was tested after he experienced upper respiratory symptoms, Biden’s doctor said in a statement released by the White House. Dr. Kevin O’Connor is the president’s physician; the White House did not attribute the statement to him by name. Biden’s symptoms included a runny nose, nonproductive cough and “general malaise,” the statement said.
His doctor said he has already taken his first dose of Paxlovid, a medication that is associated with reducing the chance of hospitalization or death.
Biden does not have a fever, and his respiratory rate is normal, according to the doctor.
When Biden arrived later at the Las Vegas-area airport, he responded to a question about how he was feeling by saying, “Good, I feel good.”
En route to Delaware, Biden tweeted, “I’m sick.” He followed it up two minutes later with a post saying, “of Elon Musk and his rich buddies trying to buy this election,” with a link to donate to his re-election campaign. Musk endorsed former President Donald Trump moments after Saturday’s assassination attempt.
Biden, 81, has kept a full schedule in Nevada this week after questions were raised about his health and capabilities after a dismal debate performance in late June.
Both Biden and Trump, 78, have had Covid. Biden last tested positive in 2022. Trump tested positive in 2020.