Former US President Barack Obama Tests Positive For COVID-19, PM Modi Extends Wishes For Quick Recovery

Obama's appeal to get inoculated comes as certain demographics in the US, such as Republicans, continue to be hesitant about the COVID vaccines.

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New Delhi: Former US President Barack Obama has tested positive for COVID-19, PM Narendra Modi on Monday wished him a speedy recovery.

Sharing the update on his COVID test, Obama urged fellow Americans to get vaccinated even as the deadly disease is on the wane in the country.

Barack Obama took to Twitter and wrote, "I just tested positive for COVID. I’ve had a scratchy throat for a couple days, but am feeling fine otherwise. Michelle and I are grateful to be vaccinated and boosted, and she has tested negative." 

"It's a good reminder that, even as cases go down, you should get vaccinated and boosted if you haven't already to help prevent more serious symptoms and giving COVID to others," he added.

I just tested positive for COVID. I’ve had a scratchy throat for a couple days, but am feeling fine otherwise. Michelle and I are grateful to be vaccinated and boosted, and she has tested negative.

It’s a reminder to get vaccinated if you haven’t already, even as cases go down.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) March 13, 2022

Extending wishes for Obama's health, PM Narendra Modi tweeted: "My best wishes @BarackObama for your quick recovery from COVID-19, and for your family's good health and wellbeing."

My best wishes @BarackObama for your quick recovery from COVID-19, and for your family's good health and wellbeing. https://t.co/mCrUvXlsAp

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 14, 2022

The diagnosis makes Obama the second US President who is known to have contracted the virus. In October 2020, then-President Donald Trump announced he tested positive, which was before vaccines were widely available in the US.

Notably, Obama's appeal to get inoculated comes as certain demographics in the US, such as Republicans, continue to be hesitant about the COVID vaccines.

According to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, currently, only 2% of the US population live in a county with a "high" COVID-19 community level.

The rest are at "low" or "medium" community levels, areas where there's no recommendation for masking or where immunocompromised people and those at high risk for severe disease are advised to take extra precautions against COVID-19, respectively.

As per statistics provided by Johns Hopkins University, total 79,517,492 Coronavirus cases have been reported in the US and 967,552 people have died.