Washington, D.C. (Wednesday, July 17, 2024) – The White House says President Joe Biden has tested positive for the coronavirus and is experiencing mild symptoms.

“He felt ok 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 virsus,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Biden was scheduled to speak this afternoon as part of a rally to woo Hispanic voters ahead of the November election. Yesterday, the president spoke at the Annual NAACP Convention underway in Las Vegas. Reports indicate Biden is up to date on his COVID vaccinations.

The president’s doctor said Biden has received his first dose of Paxlovid and will be self-isolating at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

The president’s positivity comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports an uptick in COVID cases. Health officials in Maryland and Virginia reported Tuesday that they have seen a 30 percent increase in infections over the past week. Maryland reported 7 deaths over the past weekend.