British Prime Minister Boris Johnson moved out of intensive care as condition improves

LONDON -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was moved out of intensive care Thursday at the London hospital where he is being treated for the new coronavirus, as his government told Britons to prepare for several more weeks in lockdown. Johnson had been in the ICU at St. Thomas’ Hospital since Monday after his symptoms of COVID-19 worsened.

Johnson’s office said he was “moved this evening from intensive care back to the ward, where he will receive close monitoring during the early phase of his recovery.”

It said Johnson was in “extremely good spirits.” The British leader tested positive for the new coronavirus two weeks ago and at first had only “mild” symptoms. He was hospitalized Sunday and taken to the ICU a day later. Johnson hds been receiving oxygen without being placed on a ventilator.

His condition appeared to be improving over the past day or so. Earlier Thursday, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who has been deputizing for the prime minister during key meetings, said Johnson was “making positive steps forward.” News of Johnson’s improving condition was welcomed across the British political spectrum -- and by U.S. President Donald Trump, who tweeted: “Great News: Prime Minister Boris Johnson has just been moved out of Intensive Care. Get well Boris!!!” As Johnson recovered, the government told Britons earlier it was too early to ease restrictions on public activity imposed March 23 to try to slow the spread of the virus. The original restrictions were for three weeks, a period that ends Monday. But after chairing a meeting of the government’s crisis committee, COBRA, Raab said no decision on lifting the government’s stay-home order and business closures would be made “until evidence clearly shows that we’ve moved beyond the peak” of the outbreak.

Raab said “we’re starting to see the impact of the sacrifices we’ve all made, but the deaths are still rising and we haven’t yet reached the peak of the virus.” He said the government and its scientific experts would assess the evidence again next week.

“We mustn’t give the coronavirus a second chance to kill more people and to hurt our country,” Raab said at the government’s daily news conference .