President Joe Biden continues to experience “mild” upper respiratory symptoms from COVID-19 and he’s still receiving the antiviral Paxlovid, according to his doctor, Kevin C. O’Connor.
The president’s physician has been providing a daily update to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, which has been released to the media.
Friday, O’Connor reported that the president, who is 81, completed his fourth dose of the antiviral medicine Paxlovid. “His loose, nonproductive cough and hoarseness continue to be his primary symptoms, but they have improved meaningfully from yesterday,” O’Connor wrote in a memorandum. “His pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature remain absolutely normal. His oxygen saturation continues to be excellent on room air. His lungs remain clear.”
O’Connor wrote that testing confirmed COVID-19, but that the variant determination is still pending. Meanwhile, his blood work is normal, as is his complete blood count, which indicates no evidence of bacterial infection or anemia. His electrolytes, kidney and liver function are normal, too, per the update.
“The president continues to tolerate treatment well. We will continue Paxlovid as planned. In the meantime, the president continues to do the work of the American people,” O’Connor concluded.
Recent COVID uptick
This is reportedly the president’s third bout with the virus and he’s not alone. The U.S. has seen a recent uptick in cases, as Deseret News reported this week. The KP.3 variant is largely responsible for a nearly 24% increase in COVID-19-related visits to emergency rooms across the country. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the virus has been detected at high levels in wastewater monitoring, especially in the West.
While information is still outstanding on which COVID strain President Biden has, experts say the symptoms associated with the increasingly prevalent KP.3 strain are quite similar to others. They include muscle aches, congestion, headache, respiratory problems including some difficulty breathing, fatigue, loss of smell and taste, brain fog, fever, chills, gastrointestinal symptoms and sore throat.
The president tested positive early this week while campaigning in Las Vegas and had to cancel several upcoming events, including those related to his reelection effort. He is reportedly recuperating at his beach house in Rehoboth, Delaware.