LONDON, April 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was battling the coronavirus in intensive care on Tuesday, raising serious concerns about his health as the country recorded its highest daily death toll.
“The prime minister has been stable overnight and remains in good spirits,” his official spokesman told reporters.
He said the 55-year-old Conservative leader was receiving “standard oxygen treatment and breathing without any other assistance” and had not required a ventilator.
Johnson is the most high-profile government leader to become infected and messages of support flooded in from across Britain and the world.
Johnson announced on March 27 that he had coronavirus and went into self-isolation in a flat above his Downing Street office.
Johnson had already spent Sunday night at a London hospital following concerns he still had a cough and high temperature 10 days after being diagnosed with COVID-19.
He was admitted to intensive care on Monday evening and asked Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to deputise for him “where necessary”, effectively putting him in charge.
He was moved to intensive care in London’s St Thomas’ hospital after his condition worsened.
His transfer to intensive care is unprecedented for a prime minister during a national emergency.
For many people it brought home the seriousness of the disease that has so far killed 6,159 people in Britain, with a record 786 new deaths reported in a daily update on Tuesday.
Raab chaired the daily coronavirus meeting in the prime minister’s place on Tuesday, and is now officially in charge.
The country does not have a formal constitutional role of deputy prime minister, and experts said Raab would need the support of the rest of the cabinet to make any big decisions.
The most pressing issue is a review expected next week on whether to continue the nationwide lockdown introduced on March 23 to try to stem the spread of COVID-19.
Johnson, who has been prime minister only since July last year, is not known to have any underlying health issues, although he has struggled with his weight.
Johnson’s pregnant partner, Carrie Symonds, moved out of Downing Street after some staff fell ill.
But she said on Saturday she had just spent a week in bed with symptoms, although she has not been tested. — NNN-AGENCIES
