President Joe Biden to self-isolate at home after showing COVID-19 symptoms

July 17 (UPI) -- President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 and has mild symptoms, White House officials said Wednesday afternoon.

The president is returning home to Delaware, where he "will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time," press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

Biden departed Las Vegas, where he had been making a campaign appearance, for Dover on Wednesday afternoon, administration officials said.

"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," Jean-Pierre said in a statement, which also included a note from Biden's doctor.

The doctor's message said Biden displayed upper respiratory symptoms Wednesday afternoon, including a runny nose and cough. The message said Biden "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 virus."

The note said the president's respiratory rate, temperature and pulse was normal, and it said Biden already has received his first dose of Paxlovid.

Biden will self-isolate at his home in Rehoboth, Del., officials said.

Early Wednesday evening, Biden posted on X, "I tested positive for COVID-19 this afternoon, but I am feeling good and thank everyone for the well wishes."

Wednesday's health announcement about the president comes as Biden faces mounting calls within his own political party to demonstrate a physical vitality needed to defeat former President Donald Trump at the ballot box this November.