UK’s Johnson fights worsening symptoms in ICU
LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was being treated for worsening coronavirus symptoms in an intensive care unit yesterday, with his foreign minister deputising for him as the nation tackles the Covid19 crisis.
Mr Johnson, 55, was admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital in central London late on Sunday after suffering persistent coronavirus symptoms, including a high temperature, for more than 10 days.
His condition rapidly deteriorated over the next 24 hours, and he was moved to an intensive care unit — where the most serious cases are treated. Although he had received oxygen, his office said he was still conscious.
Downing Street said the move to intensive care was “a precaution should he require ventilation to aid his recovery”.
Britain has no formal succession plan should a prime minister become incapacitated.
“The PM has asked Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is the First Secretary of State, to deputise for him where necessary,” Downing Street said.
Just hours earlier, Mr Johnson’s office said he was in good spirits and Mr Raab had told a news conference that the prime minister was still running the government.
“The government’s business will continue,” a sombre Mr Raab, 46, told reporters, saying Mr Johnson was in the safe hands of a brilliant medical team.
“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.”
Britain has some important decisions to make in its fight against the coronavirus outbreak. The official death toll in the United Kingdom currently stands at 5,373, and last week the health minister said the deadliest peak for deaths was projected to be Easter Sunday, April 12.
The country is in a state of virtual lockdown, a situation due to be reviewed early next week, and some ministers have suggested it might need to be extended because some people were flouting the strict rules.
Mr Johnson tested positive for the virus on March 26, the first leader of a major power to announce that he had tested positive for Covid-19.
After 10 days of isolation in an apartment at Downing Street, he was still fighting the virus on Sunday evening, prompting his admission to hospital. He was last seen in a video message posted on Twitter on Friday when he looked weary.