United States President, Joe Biden, is experiencing “mild symptoms” after testing positive for coronavirus during a campaign trip to Las Vegas on Wednesday, the White House said.
Karine Jean-Pierre, his press secretary, said the US president is vaccinated and boosted. He has tested positive for Covid twice before
Biden, 81, was seen earlier on Wednesday visiting supporters in Las Vegas and speaking at an event. He has cancelled a campaign speech later in the night.
The illness comes as he faces increasing pressure to step aside because of his age following a poor debate performance at the end of June.
Jean-Pierre said the president planned to isolate at his home in Delaware while he carries out “all of his duties fully during that time”.
The president’s doctor, Kevin O’Connor, said Mr Biden presented with upper respiratory symptoms, including a runny nose and a cough and was given his first dose of Paxlovid.
He felt fine during his first event of the day, but later tested positive Dr O’Connor said.
Reporters on the Las Vegas trip said they were rushed to the city’s airport following the announcement.
Biden moved slowly and cautiously up the steps to the plane, video shows.
He was not wearing a mask.
The president was forced to cancel a speech at UnidosUS, a Latino civil rights organisation. The organisation’s chief executive Janet Murguría confirmed the diagnosis to the audience.
“Thank you all so much for your patience and understanding,” she told the crowd.
“Regrettably I was just on the phone with President Biden. And he shared his deep disappointment at not being able to join us this afternoon. The president has been at many events as we all know and he just tested positive for Covid.”
The illness comes as Mr Biden faces increased calls for him to withdraw from the face.
Nearly two dozen Democratic politicians have called for him to step aside in recent weeks, including Rep. Adam Schiff of California, who said today he had serious doubts about whether the president could beat former President Donald Trump.
He called on Mr Biden to “pass the torch”.
Schiff said that Biden “has been one of the most consequential presidents in our nation’s history”, and he could “secure his legacy of leadership” by allowing another Democrat to step forward.
