President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he is “doing well,” hours after testing positive for COVID-19. The White House made the announcement this evening, shortly after he abruptly canceled a speech in Las Vegas where he had planned to appeal to Latino voters.
The 81-year-old president tested positive after his first event in Las Vegas on Wednesday and is experiencing “mild symptoms,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement. She added that he is being vaccinated and boosted against the virus and will return to his home in Rehoboth, Delaware, where he is self-isolating.
“The White House will provide regular updates on the president’s status as he continues to fulfill all the responsibilities of office while he is in isolation,” she said.
The news was first announced by the president of UnidosUS, the largest Latin American non-profit advocacy organization.
“Unfortunately, I just got off the phone with President Biden,” UnidosUS President Janet Murguía told the crowd gathered in a Las Vegas ballroom to hear the president. “And he shared his deep disappointment in not being able to join us this afternoon. The president has been to many events as we all know and just tested positive for COVID. So of course we understand that he has to take the precautions that were recommended and obviously he didn’t want to put anyone at risk.”
Jean-Pierre’s statement was followed by a report from Biden’s doctor, who added that Biden’s respiratory rate, temperature and blood oxygen levels were normal and that he had received a dose of treatment. The doctor, who was not named in the statement, said Biden was showing symptoms including a runny nose, cough and general malaise.
As Biden prepared to board Air Force One to fly to Delaware, reporters asked him how he was feeling. He gave the reporters a thumbs up and replied, “Okay. I feel good.”
