"Feeling good"

US President Biden tests positive for coronavirus

Joe Biden tested positive for coronavirus, but currently only has mild symptoms.(Bild: AP)

US President Joe Biden has tested positive for the coronavirus. The 81-year-old has been vaccinated and has mild symptoms, the White House announced on Wednesday (local time). Biden, who was on a campaign trip to Las Vegas, will return to his private home in the US state of Delaware, where he will self-isolate and continue to carry out his official duties in full during this time. "I feel fine," Biden told reporters before his return flight.

He had shown symptoms of an upper respiratory infection in the afternoon, including a runny nose, dry cough and general malaise, his doctor said. Biden had already received the first dose of the antiviral Covid drug Paxlovid. Due to the diagnosis, Biden, who is currently facing a debate in his Democratic Party about his mental and physical fitness to be a presidential candidate again, cannot speak as planned at an event organized by the Latino civil rights organization UnidosUS.

Already several corona infections
Biden was in Las Vegas to canvass for votes, particularly among the Hispanic population. Nevada is also a so-called swing state, which cannot be firmly attributed to either Democrats or Republicans. This is why the candidates' election campaigns often focus on these states. The White House has announced that Biden will now spend a long weekend at his beach house in Delaware. It remains unclear how long the US President will have to do without campaign trips.

Biden immediately went into isolation after the positive test.(Bild: AP)

This is not Biden's first coronavirus case in the Oval Office: he had already tested positive for coronavirus in July 2022. He was also treated with the drug Paxlovid back then and tested positive for coronavirus again just a few days after ending his coronavirus isolation. This was a "relapse", which occurs in rare cases in patients who have been treated with Paxlovid, it was said at the time. According to the White House, Biden had a mild case two years ago.

Biden belongs to the risk group
Biden belongs to the risk group due to his advanced age. Especially with a view to the presidential election in November, Biden's state of health is repeatedly the subject of discussion. Biden wants to be confirmed in office after the election in November. However, the Democrat is currently fighting on all fronts to save his presidential candidacy. The debate surrounding him was triggered by the 81-year-old's disastrous performance in the first TV duel with his Republican rival Donald Trump a few weeks ago.