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Joe Biden tests positive for Covid-19, scraps Las Vegas event
- The US president, who is experiencing mild symptoms, says he feels ‘good’. He will self-isolate at home while carrying out his duties
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US President Joe Biden tested positive for Covid-19 while travelling on Wednesday in Las Vegas and is experiencing “mild symptoms” from the infection, the White House said.
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Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden will fly to his home in Delaware, where he will “self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time”.
“I feel good,” 81-year-old Biden said, giving reporters the thumbs up as he leaned out of his limousine dubbed “The Beast” before boarding Air Force One to head for his Rehoboth beach house.
The illness comes as Biden faces growing pressure to drop his re-election bid against Donald Trump after a disastrous debate performance sparked concerns about his age and health.
Biden has been losing ground in battleground states against Trump, who is headlining a triumphant Republican convention this week after he survived an assassination attempt on Saturday.
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The White House said Biden planned to spend a long weekend at his Delaware home. It was unclear how long the sickness would keep him from the campaign trail.
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