Jill Biden: US first lady tests positive for Covid-19 - BBC

US First Lady Jill Biden greets residents impacted by Hurricane Idalia in Live Oak, Florida

By Gareth Evans

BBC News

US First Lady Jill Biden tested positive for Covid-19 on Monday evening and is experiencing mild symptoms, the White House says.

The 72-year-old, who is vaccinated and has received boosters, will stay at home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where she and President Joe Biden spent part of the weekend.

The president tested negative for the virus after her diagnosis.

He then travelled back to Washington DC on his own on Monday night.

Mr Biden, 80, "will test at a regular cadence this week and monitor for symptoms", a spokeswoman said.

His wife's positive test comes ahead of a busy week for the president.

He is due to travel to the G20 summit in India on Thursday, before a scheduled visit to Hanoi on Sunday for a one-day visit where he will meet Vietnamese leaders.

No changes have been made to his foreign travel plans at this time, an administration official told CNN on Monday.

The pair spent time together over the weekend, including a visit to Florida on Saturday where they viewed the recovery efforts following Hurricane Idalia.

Mrs Biden last tested positive for Covid in August 2022, a few weeks after Mr Biden did so. Both recovered without experiencing major symptoms.

Cases are surging across the US after new variants emerged over the summer, but remain far below the pandemic-era peak.