Joe Biden tests positive for Covid-19, scraps Las Vegas event

PRESIDENT Joe Biden cancelled his speech to a major Latino advocacy group in Las Vegas after testing positive for Covid-19, the White House announced on Wednesday (Jul 17).

Biden has “mild symptoms” and plans to return to Delaware “where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time”, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

The president flashed a thumbs-up to reporters and said he felt “good” before boarding Air Force One minutes after his diagnosis was announced. He walked slowly up the stairs while boarding the presidential aircraft.

Biden’s illness comes as the president for weeks has blamed a cold and jet lag for his poor performance in the debate against Donald Trump. Biden, 81, reaffirmed his decision to remain in the race in a Tuesday interview with BET News, but allowed that significant health issues could cause him to reconsider.

“If I had some medical condition that emerged, if somebody, if doctors came to me and said, you got this problem and that problem,” Biden said.

The president’s symptoms include a runny nose, cough, and “general malaise”, according to a note from the White House attributed to Biden’s physician. He was prescribed and took his first dose of Pfizer’s Paxlovid antiviral medication. He had a normal temperature, respiratory rate and pulse oximetry.

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Biden also contracted Covid in July 2022 and then tested positive again with a rebound case weeks later. BLOOMBERG