- The White House announced that President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19.
- Biden was due to speak at the UnidosUS conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
- He is experiencing mild symptoms, according to a statement from spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre.
President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, according to the White House.
“Earlier today, following his first event in Las Vegas, President Biden tested positive for COVID-19. The President has received both the vaccine and booster dose, and his symptoms are mild. The President has returned to Delaware and will self-isolate, during which time he will continue to perform all his duties,” spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement provided to Business Insider. “The President will continue to perform all his duties while in quarantine, and the White House will provide regular updates on his status.”
The White House also provided a memo from President Biden's physician, saying the president was tested after experiencing symptoms of runny nose, cough and general fatigue. The memo noted that President Biden's symptoms were mild, and that his respiratory rate, temperature and blood oxygen levels were normal. It also said the president had received his first dose of Paxlovir.
Biden, 81, has been in Nevada since Monday night and was due to speak at the UnidosUS conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
According to CNN, UnidosUS CEO Jeanette Murguia told conference attendees that President Biden had tested positive for COVID-19 after he was an hour and a half late to a scheduled speaking event.
“I just spoke with President Biden on the phone and he expressed his deep disappointment that he will not be able to be with us this afternoon. The president has been attending a number of events as we all know, and he has just tested positive for COVID-19,” Murguia said at a news conference.
According to the Associated Press, Biden departed from Nevada, a key battleground state in November's presidential election, aboard Air Force One on Wednesday, telling reporters at the scene that he was “feeling good.”
