White House: Biden Likely Infected With Highly Contagious BA.5 COVID Subvariant

The BA.5 subvariant makes up to 80% of COVID-19 infections across much of the US. The White House physician detailed that the subvariant would not affect the president's current treatment plan.

US President Joe Biden may have likely contracted the highly contagious BA.5 novel coronavirus subvariant, a White House physician monitoring the commander-in-chief revealed Saturday.

Physician Kevin O'Connor noted in a weekend update that the "primary symptoms" the US president was enduring included a sore throat, rhinorrhea, loose cough and body aches, but that he is "continuing to improve."

"His voice remains deep. His pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature remain entirely normal," the Saturday memo reads. "His oxygen saturation continues to be excellent on room air. His lungs remain clear."

"He is experiencing no shortness of breath at all. He will continue low dose aspirin as an alternative type of blood thinner," it continued.

The doctor further detailed that Biden completed his second full day of Pfizer's Paxlovid, an antiviral pill that helps reduce hospitalization risk for COVID-19 patients.

Biden returned a positive COVID-19 test on early Thursday and has been in isolation at the White House since then, effectively pulling back on some duties and switching to virtual meetings and appearances. The administration insiders have used the diagnosis to underscore that Biden's symptoms are mild because has has received four COVID-19 vaccine doses.