US President Joseph Biden, under pressure from his fellow Democrats to drop his re-election campaign, tested positive for the coronavirus during a visit to Las Vegas on Wednesday and is self-isolating after suffering mild symptoms, the White House said.
White House spokeswoman Karin Jean-Pierre announced the positive test for the 81-year-old Democrat after Biden canceled the speech due to the diagnosis.
“He is vaccinated and stimulated, and has mild symptoms,” said Jean-Pierre.
As he boarded Air Force One to depart Las Vegas for recovery in Delaware, Biden told reporters, “I feel good.”
He, however, slowly ascended the stairs, keeping a firm hold on the railing and pausing a few steps inside and again towards the top.
The illness comes at a crucial time for Biden, who is losing ground in battleground states against Republican Donald Trump, who heads a triumphant convention this week after surviving an assassination attempt on Saturday.
The White House said Biden planned to spend the long weekend at his Delaware waterfront home. It was not clear how long the illness would keep him out of the campaign.
