Covid-19: Boris Johnson’s health improves; experts say UK is entering ‘deadliest phase’ of outbreak
The British prime minister has reportedly been ‘sitting up in bed’ and engaging with the staff of St Thomas hospital.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who tested positive for the coronavirus, is in stable condition and getting better, Reuters reported on Thursday.
Johnson was was admitted to St Thomas hospital last week with “persistent symptoms” and was later shifted to the intensive care unit. “Things are getting better for him,” Britain’s Culture Minister Oliver Dowden told Reuters. “He’s stable, improving, sat up and engaged with medical staff.”
Johnson has reportedly been “sitting up in bed” and engaging with hospital staff, according to BBC. Speaking at the Downing Street press briefing, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said Johnson’s condition was a reminder that the virus was “indiscriminate”.
Johnson had last week quarantined himself at his official residence, and said that his infection was “mild”. However, he did not come out of quarantine on April 3, as originally planned.
The United Kingdom is entering what experts say is “the deadliest phase” of the outbreak, with deaths expected to continue to rise as the country imposed a nationwide lockdown to contain the pandemic.
However, Stephen Powis, medical director of the National Health Service, said the number of coronavirus infections and hospital admissions in Britain is beginning to show signs of flattening, indicating the shutdown measures were working. “We are beginning to see the benefits I believe, but the really critical thing is that we have to continue following instructions,” he said. “We have to continue following social distancing, because if we don’t the virus will start to spread again.”
The United Kingdom has reported 61,474 cases of the virus, with 7,111 deaths as of Thursday, according to a tracker by Johns Hopkins University. Globally, the number of positive cases worldwide crossed 15.14 lakh, including over 88,400 deaths.