President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday while visiting Las Vegas and has self-isolated after showing mild symptoms, the White House reported, according to Reuters.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced the positive test for the 81-year-old Democrat after Biden canceled a scheduled speech due to the diagnosis. “He is vaccinated and has received a booster shot, and he is experiencing mild symptoms,” Jean-Pierre stated.
As he boarded Air Force One to leave Las Vegas and recover in Delaware, Biden told reporters, “I’m okay, I feel fine.” However, he ascended the stairs slowly, holding tightly to the handrail and pausing after a few steps and again near the top.
The illness comes at a critical time for Biden, who has been losing ground in polls in key states against Republican Donald Trump, who is headlining a triumphant convention this week after surviving an assassination attempt on Saturday.
The White House announced that Biden plans to spend an extended weekend at his beach house in Delaware. It is unclear at this time how long the illness will keep him away from the campaign trail.
Biden, facing questions about his mental acuity following a disastrous debate with Trump, stated in an interview excerpt aired Wednesday that he would reconsider his candidacy for the November presidential election if diagnosed with a medical issue, according to AFP.
“If I had a medical problem that arose, if doctors came to see me and said ‘you have this problem’…” Biden responded when asked on Tuesday by BET media group about what might make him think about withdrawing from the presidential race.
