US first lady Jill Biden again tests positive for coronavirus

By Darren Lyn

TEXAS, United States (AA) - US first lady Jill Biden tested positive Wednesday for a rebound case of the coronavirus, her second positive test in nine days.

"After testing negative on Tuesday, just now, the First Lady has tested positive for COVID-19 by antigen testing," said Biden's Deputy Communications Director Kelsey Donohue in a statement. "This represents a 'rebound' positivity."

Biden is currently at the family's beach home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware in isolation.

She first tested positive on Aug. 15 while vacationing in South Carolina where she experienced “cold-like symptoms” and was put on a cycle of the antiviral drug Paxlovid, which medical experts say can trigger a rebound case of the virus in some patients days after a negative result.

"The First Lady has experienced no reemergence of symptoms, and will remain in Delaware where she has reinitiated isolation procedures," said Donohue. "The White House Medical Unit has conducted contact tracing and close contacts have been notified."

Biden had two consecutive negative tests Sunday and traveled from South Carolina to join her husband in Delaware. She will remain at the beach house until she has two consecutive negative test results.

The White House said President Joe Biden tested negative for the virus early Wednesday.

Following US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, the president will mask for 10 days indoors because he is considered a close contact.

The president tested positive on July 21 and also took Paxlovid. He then tested positive for a rebound case nine days later on July 30 following initial negative tests.