President Joe Biden has COVID-19 for a third time

WASHINGTON ― President Joe Biden has again tested positive for COVID-19.

Biden tested positive following an event Wednesday in Las Vegas, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

“He is vaccinated and boosted, and he is experiencing mild symptoms,” she said. “He will be returning to Delaware, where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time. The White House will provide regular updates on the president’s status as he continues to carry out the full duties of the office while in isolation.”It’s the third time the 81-year-old president has tested positive for COVID.

Biden first tested positive on July 21, 2022. Nine days later, he tested positive again in a “rebound” case.The latest positive test came while Biden was in Las Vegas for a series of events, including the UnidosUS annual conference in Las Vegas. Biden was scheduled to speak to the group, which is the nation’s largest Latino civil rights organization. But he did not come to the podium as scheduled. 

“Regrettably, I was just on the phone with President Biden, and he shared his deep disappointment at not being able to join us this afternoon. The president has been at many events as we all know, and just tested positive for COVID,” said Janet Murguía, president and CEO of UnidosUS. 

"We understand that he needs to take the precautions that have been recommended, and he did not obviously want to put anybody at risk,” Murguía said.

Shortly before testing positive, Biden was taking selfies and talking to customers at The Original Lindo Michoácan Restaurant as he campaigned in Las Vegas before he was set to appear at the UnidosUS conference.

The White House released a note from Biden’s doctor, Kevin O’Connor, who said the president had upper respiratory symptoms including a runny nose and non-productive cough, with general malaise. Biden’s symptoms remain mild, the doctor said, and his respiratory rate is normal at 16, his temperature is normal at 97.8 and his pulse oximetry is normal at 97%.

“He felt okay 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 virus,” O’Connor said in the note.