Boris Johnson ‘responding to treatment’ but remains in intensive care, No 10 says
Boris Johnson is “responding to treatment” and in a stable condition but remains in intensive care at St Thomas’ Hospital, No 10 has said.
The latest update comes after the prime minister spent a second evening in the central London hospital’s critical care unit after being initially admitted on Sunday – ten days after testing positive for coronavirus.
Speaking on Wednesday afternoon, the PM’s official spokesperson said: “The prime minister remains clinically stable and is responding to treatment. He continues to be cared for in the intensive care unit at St Thomas’ hospital. He’s in good spirits”.
They added: “The information in the update we have provided was given to us by St Thomas’ hospital and it contains all of the information that the PM’s medical team consider to be clinically relevant.”
The spokesperson also said Mr Johnson will not be working while in intensive care and Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary and first secretary of state, will be deputising in his absence. “He has the ability to contact those that he needs to, he’s following the advice of his doctors at all times,” they said.
Before receiving treatment at hospital, Mr Johnson had been self-isolating in his Downing Street flat – above Number 11 – and was still in charge of coordinating the government’s response.
Earlier, the health minister Edward Argar told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that Mr Johnson has been given “some oxygen” during his time in hospital, but has not required any mechanical ventilation.
“Everyone wishes him and Carrie [Symonds] very well, wishes him a swift and full recovery. He’s not just our prime minister, for many of us he’s our colleague, he’s our boss, and he’s a friend and we’re all keen to see him make that swift recovery.”
No 10 added they were “hugely grateful” for the messages of support the prime minister has received from around the world.
"I think the public response to coronavirus throughout has been fantastic and that has been best exemplified by the applause they've been giving to NHS staff every week,” they said.
