President Joe Biden has tested positive for Covid-19

By CNN

Published July 17, 2024 3:24 PM

CNN

By Donald Judd and Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, CNN

(CNN) — President Joe Biden tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday and is experiencing mild symptoms, according to the White House.

Biden, 81, tested positive following his first event in Las Vegas, where he was expected to later speak at the UnidosUS annual conference. The president’s doctor said Biden has received his first dose of the antiviral drug Paxlovid, and will be self-isolating at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, in line with US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.

“I feel good,” Biden, who is fully vaccinated and boosted, told reporters in Las Vegas, flashing a thumbs-up before boarding Air Force One Wednesday.

Biden had “upper respiratory symptoms, to include rhinorhea (runny nose) and non-productive cough, with general mailaise,” a note from his doctor provided by White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

“He felt okay for his first event of the day, but given that he was not feeling better, point of care testing for COVID-19 was conducted, and the results were positive for the COVID-19 virus,” the note continued.

The White House’s confirmation followed an announcement at the conference by UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía, after Biden was an hour and a half late to his scheduled appearance.

“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,” Murguía told attendees.

CNN has reached out to the Biden campaign for comment.

The president first tested positive for Covid-19 in July 2022 and suffered a second, so-called rebound case in the following days.

Biden has received multiple Covid-19 vaccine booster shots, most recently in September 2023, according to a memo from his physician. During his first bout with the disease, he experienced mild symptoms, including runny nose, fatigue, high temperature and a cough and was treated with Paxlovid.

Covid-19 levels across the country have risen in recent weeks, according to the CDC. The most recent data shows that during the week ending July 6, there was a 23.5% increase in emergency visits for Covid-19 compared with the previous week. The CDC also reports that the viral activity level for Covid-19 in wastewater is high nationally as of July 6.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

CNN’s MJ Lee, Sam Fossum, Katia Hetter and Megan Trimble contributed to this report.