PM Boris Johnson’s condition is ‘improving” in ICU
LONDON : Boris Johnson is “responding to treatment” for corona virus as he approaches a fourth night in hospital. Prime Minister Johnson condition “continues to improve” after his third night in intensive care with the coronavirus, his official spokesman said Thursday.
Johnson was continuing to receive “standard oxygen treatment” and thanked health staff for their brilliant care, the spokesman said.
“(Johnson) had a good night and continues to improve,” the spokesman added. “He’s in good spirits.”
The prime minister Mr Johnson was admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital in central London with “persistent symptoms” of Covid-19 on Sunday and was moved to intensive care on Monday evening after his symptoms worsened.
Rishi Sunak, the UK’s top finance minister, said at the daily Downing Street press briefing Wednesday that Johnson was “sitting up in bed and engaging positively with the clinical team.”
Sunak added: “The news about the Prime Minister reminds us how indiscriminate this virus is.”
The 55-year-old was taken to London’s St. Thomas’ Hospital on Sunday because he was displaying “persistent” symptoms ten days after testing positive for the virus. On Monday, Johnson’s condition worsened and he was taken to the ICU, but on Tuesday, Downing Street said he was in a stable condition.
He did not require mechanical or invasive ventilation and did not have pneumonia, said Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is deputizing for the Prime Minister.
The UK government’s emergency committee — Cobra — was meeting Thursday to discuss options to review the coronavirus restrictions, but officials have played down the possibility of the lockdown being lifted any time soon.
Meanwhile, Downing Street said he was not working but could contact those he needed to. The number of people to die with the virus in UK hospitals has increased by a record 938 in a day, according to the latest Department of Health figures. The total death toll now stands at 7,097. It comes after Downing Street said a review of lockdown rules would go ahead next week, but the public must “stick with” the measures at what was a “critical time”.
A ban on public gatherings of more than two people and the closure of shops selling non-essential goods were among the series of restrictions announced by Mr Johnson on 23 March to tackle the spread of coronavirus.
According to the government’s coronavirus legislation, the health secretary must review the need for restrictions at least once every 21 days, with the first review to be carried out by 16 April.
But health minister Edward Argar said the peak in cases must pass “before we can think about making changes”, adding: “It’s too early to say when we will reach that peak.”
(With Agency Inputs).
