- US president is vaccinated and boosted, White House says.
- Illness comes amid Biden’s declining popularity against Trump.
- Biden plans to spend long weekend at Delaware beach house.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has sent good wishes to United States President Joe Biden after it was announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced the positive test for the 81-year-old Democrat after the president of UnidosUS, a Latino civil rights organisation, said Biden would not be able to speak at a scheduled event due to the diagnosis.
“He is vaccinated and boosted and experiencing mild symptoms,” Jean-Pierre added.
As he boarded Air Force One to depart Las Vegas to recuperate in Delaware, Biden told reporters: “Good, I feel good.” But he climbed the stairs slowly, holding the railing tightly and pausing a few steps in and again towards the top.
Following the announcement by the White House, the 72-year-old prime minister took to his social media to wish Biden a quick recovery from the illness.
In a post on X, Shehbaz wrote: “Wishing President Biden @POTUS swift and complete recovery from Covid. Good wishes.”
Shehbaz’s post comes days after he, along with other prominent political figures, inlcuding President Asif Ali Zardari and founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan, condemned the assassination attempt on former US president Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania.
Biden’s illness comes at a crucial time for him as he has been losing ground in battleground states against Trump, who is headlining a triumphant convention this week.
The White House said Biden planned to spend a long weekend at his Delaware beach house. It was unclear how long the sickness would keep him for the campaign trail.