President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19, the White House announced on Thursday.
In a statement quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, “Mr. Biden is vaccinated and boosted and he is experiencing mild symptoms.”
The positive test came after an event Mr. Biden attended in Nevada, according to the statement. He will return to his private residence in Delaware to self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time.
Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Mr. Biden’s physician, said the president had shown “upper respiratory symptoms” in the afternoon, including a runny nose and a cough. While the results of a PCR confirmation test are still pending, Dr. O’Connor confirmed that the president has received the first dose of the COVID drug Paxlovid.
This is the second time the 81-year-old President has tested positive for COVID-19, having previously contracted the virus in 2022, with only mild symptoms reported then by the White House.Given his advanced age, President Biden is considered at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. This development comes amid ongoing debates about his mental acuity and physical condition ahead of the November presidential election.
The American electorate and political analysts are closely scrutinizing the President’s capacity to lead the nation for another term. His major rival, Donald Trump, has officially secured the nomination of the opposition Republican Party for the upcoming election.
