Biden tests positive for COVID-19 in "rebound" case: physician

U.S. President Joe Biden is seen in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on July 27, 2022. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

WASHINGTON, July 30 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday in a "rebound" case, days after ending isolation and treatment, according to his doctor.

White House physician Dr. Kevin O'Connor wrote in a memo that Biden "has experienced no reemergence of symptoms, and continues to feel quite well" but will reinitiate strict isolation procedures.

"This being the case, there is no reason to reinitiate treatment at this time," O'Connor added. "But we will obviously continue close observation."

Biden, 79, first tested positive for the coronavirus on July 21 before receiving negative testing results earlier this week.

Fully vaccinated and twice boosted, Biden took Paxlovid, an antiviral therapy produced by Pfizer and given to patients with COVID-19.

There is potential for so-called "rebound" COVID positivity observed in a small percentage of patients treated with Paxlovid, according to O'Connor. ■