President Joe Biden gets Covid-19; cancels speech

Washington, D.C. – President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, experiencing mild symptoms according to the White House. The 81-year-old president's diagnosis was confirmed following a Las Vegas conference where he was scheduled to speak.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced the positive test after UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía informed attendees that Biden would not be able to appear.

"He is vaccinated and boosted and experiencing mild symptoms," Jean-Pierre stated.

The White House also said President Biden was experiencing upper respiratory symptoms, including a runny nose and non-productive cough, with general malaise. Despite these symptoms, Biden told reporters in Las Vegas, "I feel good," before boarding Air Force One to return to Delaware.

Biden’s doctor reported that he has received his first dose of the antiviral drug Paxlovid and will be self-isolating at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

Biden, who first tested positive for COVID-19 in July 2022 and experienced a rebound case shortly thereafter, had been on the campaign trail for two nights in Las Vegas.

The President's Covid-19 diagnosis has prompted renewed scrutiny, with some fellow Democrats urging him to reconsider his re-election campaign. However, the White House remains focused on his current health and recovery.

Biden’s diagnosis came just hours after the release of comments from an interview conducted on Tuesday, in which he stated that he could step aside as a presidential candidate "if I had some medical condition that emerged." This development follows a dramatic few days in the already frenetic and polarized White House race, marked by his rival Donald Trump surviving an assassination attempt at a campaign rally.

The White House will continue to monitor his condition and provide updates as necessary.

Source: AFP