Boris Johnson who was hospitalised with persistent coronavirus symptoms is stable in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a London hospital and has not required ventilator support for breathing, Downing Street said in a health update on the British Prime Minister on Tuesday.
“The PM has been stable overnight and remains in good spirits. He is receiving standard oxygen treatment and is breathing without any other assistance. He has not required mechanical ventilation or non-invasive respiratory support,” a Downing Street spokesperson said.
Johnson spent the Monday night in the ICU at a London hospital in a move Downing Street said was a “precaution” should the British prime minister require ventilation to aid his recovery from COVID-19.
Johnson, 55, was taken to St Thomas’ Hospital in London, a specialist infectious diseases National Health Service (NHS) facility, on Sunday night for “routine tests” after persistent coronavirus symptoms including a high temperature and a cough. His condition “worsened” during the course of Monday when his doctors decided to shift him to ICU.
“The Prime Minister is not on a ventilator. He has received oxygen support and one of the reasons of being in intensive care is to ensure that whatever support the medical team consider to be appropriate can be provided,” said UK Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove on Tuesday morning.
Johnson had tested positive for coronavirus 12 days ago and had continued to lead the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic via video conferencing from his Downing Street home.
On Monday night, he asked his First Secretary of State, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, to step in for him and the minister will be chairing his second daily COVID-19 meeting in place of the UK PM on Tuesday.
“The government’s business will continue. The Prime Minister is in safe hands with that brilliant team at St Thomas’ hospital, and the focus of the government will continue to be on making sure that the Prime Minister’s direction, all the plans for making sure that we can defeat coronavirus and can pull the country through this challenge, will be taken forward,” said Raab, who would be deputising for Johnson “where necessary” while he is in hospital.
“There’s an incredibly strong team spirit behind the Prime Minister, and making sure that we get all of the plans the Prime Minister’s instructed us to deliver, to get them implemented as soon as possible. And that’s the way it will bring the whole country through the coronavirus challenge that we face right now,” said the senior Cabinet minister.
The team spirit was on display as ministers of Johnson’s top team took to social media to wish him a speedy recovery and support to his pregnant fiancee Carrie Symonds.
“My love and thoughts are with Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds and the Prime Ministers family. Praying for you and thinking of you,” said UK Home Secretary Priti Patel in her Twitter message, alongside an image of her alongside Johnson at a temple in London on the campaign trail from the past year.
