The White House confirmed on Monday that First Lady Jill Biden has tested positive for COVID-19.
Her spokesperson, Elizabeth Alexander, provided a statement, saying, “This evening, the First Lady tested positive for COVID-19”.
“She is currently experiencing only mild symptoms. She will remain at their home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.”
Despite the first lady’s diagnosis, President Joe Biden, aged 80, has tested negative for the virus, as stated by the White House.
Jill Biden’s positive test comes during a busy week for President Joe Biden, who recently delivered a Labor Day speech in Philadelphia.
It’s worth noting that President Joe Biden and the first lady previously tested positive for COVID-19 in July last year. Both had experienced rebound cases shortly after being treated with Paxlovid.
Jill Biden’s diagnosis occurs amid renewed attention to COVID-19, as the world approaches the fourth virus season since the pandemic began.
Data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier in the summer indicated a slight increase in hospital admissions, emergency department visits, and positive COVID-19 tests.
However, these numbers were not as high as in previous summers. The CDC reported about four new hospital admissions for every 100,000 people nationwide in the week ending August 19, which is considered low according to CDC thresholds.
While seven counties had high levels of COVID-19 hospitalizations, approximately 3.6% of the country was in the medium threshold, with a quarter of those counties in Florida.
Scientists have also raised concerns about a new variant, BA.2.86, which has garnered attention due to its high mutation rate.
However, it has only been detected in a small number of individuals worldwide. Dr. Eric Topol, a cardiologist at the Scripps Research Translational Institute, stated that the virus’s continuous evolution poses challenges as it seeks new hosts and mutations, calling it “relentless.”
