US President Joe Biden tests positive for Covid-19 for third time, to self-isolate at his home in Delaware

United States President Joe Biden has tested positive for Covid-19 while on his trip to Las Vegas and is experiencing mild symptoms, the White House said in a statement.

Biden, 81 tested positive on July 17 for the third time and will self-isolate at his home in Delaware and continue his duties fully. However, it is uncertain as to how long Covid-19 would keep him from the campaign trail.

"He is vaccinated and boosted and experiencing mild symptoms," the White House press secretary said.

"He will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time," said Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

A video on social media showed Joe Biden slowly walking up the stairs of Air Force One to depart Las Vegas to recuperate in Delaware. He told reporters, “Good, I feel good.”

Biden's party members have been demanding he step down from the presidential race following his dull performance at a debate with former US President and Republican pick Donald Trump.

Just before the test for Covid-19, Biden had said in an interview that he would only reconsider dropping out of the presidential race if a medical condition emerged.

"If I had some medical condition that emerged, if somebody, if doctors came to me and said, 'You got this problem, that problem'," Biden told BET host, Ed Gordon, according to a video clip on social media.

The California Representative and one of the most notable Democrats Adam Schiff, had urged Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race on concerns about whether Biden could defeat Trump.

"While the choice to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden's alone, I believe it is time for him to pass the torch," Adam Schiff said in a statement.

However, Biden remained firm that he would not drop out of the race. The US President is falling behind in battleground states to Trump, who recently survived an assassination attempt and is now leading a triumphant convention this week.

Meanwhile, Biden used his diagnosis to take a dig at Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Biden wrote “I’m sick", followed by another tweet in the thread which says, “of Elon Musk and his rich buddies trying to buy this election. And if you agree, pitch in here.”

After last week's assassination attempt at Trump, Tesla CEO Elon Musk took to X to support the former president. “I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,” Musk wrote.

Musk has extended support to Trump on various occasions but has often attacked Biden on social media for his immigration policies and age.