Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SICK BORIS FACES FIGHT FOR LIFE
Fears that Johnson now has pneumonia as coronavirus symptoms worsen
BORIS Johnson was last night in intensive care amid fears he may have deadly pneumonia.
No10 said the PM’S coronavirus symptoms got worse yesterday and a decision was taken to move him “in case he needs ventilation”.
He is understood to have had breathing difficulties and been given oxygen, indicating he could have developed pneumonia. First Minister Arlene Foster said she was “praying for a full and speedy recovery”.
FEARS were growing for Boris Johnson last night after his coronavirus symptoms got so bad he was moved to intensive care.
There were concerns the PM may have developed deadly pneumonia as he had already been given oxygen support while struggled to shake off the illness he developed 10 days ago.
He was understood to have had breathing difficulties on his ward and doctors at St Thomas’ Hospital in South London took action.
The PM was still conscious when admitted to the ICU but No 10 insiders said he was moved as a precaution should he need a ventilator to aid his recovery.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab had been asked to take over running the country if Mr Johnson got too ill.
As the UK coronavirus death toll rose by 439 to 5,373, a No 10 spokesman said: “Since Sunday evening, the Prime Minister has been under the care of doctors at St Thomas’ Hospital, in London, after being admitted with persistent symptoms of coronavirus.
“Over the course of this afternoon, the condition of the Prime Minister has worsened and, on the advice of his medical team, he has been moved to the intensive care unit at the hospital.
“The PM has asked Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is the First Secretary of State, to deputise for him where necessary.
“The PM is receiving excellent care, and thanks all NHS staff for their hard work and dedication.”
University College London medical imaging expert Professor Derek Hill said Mr Johnson would probably be put on a mechanical ventilator in intensive care.
He added: “It seems clear that the Prime Minister went to hospital because he had difficulty breathing.
“It seems he was initially put on oxygen, and was conscious. But as often happens with Covid-19, his condition has now deteriorated so he has been admitted to intensive care where he is very likely to have been put on a ventilator to breathe for him.
“It isn’t yet clear whether Boris Johnson is breathing on his own, with help from the ventilator. Or whether he has been heavily sedated and paralysed and the machine is doing all the breathing for him.”
Mr Johnson’s pregnant fiancee, Carrie Symonds, has been recovering at their home in South London after suffering her own bout of coronavirus.
Two uniformed police officers were last night stationed at the entrance of St Thomas’ Hospital. Messages of support came in for the PM after the news of his worrying change in condition was announced at 8pm. Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “My thoughts tonight are with Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds. I know he’ll be getting the best care possible and will come out of this even stronger.”
New Labour leader Keir Starmer added: “Terribly sad news.
“All the country’s thoughts are with the Prime Minister and his family during this incredibly difficult time.”
Donald Trump said “all Americans are praying” for Mr Johnson. The US president added: “I want to express our nation’s well wishes to Boris Johnson as he wages his own personal fight with the virus.”
“I’m hopeful and sure that he’s going to be fine.
“He’s a strong man, a strong person.” Earlier in the day, Mr Johnson had again insisted he was still fit enough to run the country and is in constant contact with the Cabinet. Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said: “He’s still very much in charge.” But other Tories had urged the PM to rest and hand over the reins to Mr Raab rather than keep going.
They feared the PM’S determination to emulate his hero Winston Churchill and plough on regardless could be counterproductive.
One MP said “Winston Churchill may have battled on during his second term despite ill health, but it doesn’t mean Boris has to. We’d much rather he rested up and got better.”
Foreign Office minister James Duddridge told Mr Johnson: “Come back fighting. But for now rest, look after yourself and let the others do the heavy lift.”
Former head of the civil service Lord Kerslake said it may be “sensible” for the PM to “step back” if he was not well enough to carry on.
He added: “I think in the end if he’s not well, he will have to reflect on this, because the job’s tough at the best of times and it’s doubly tough now.”
Mr Raab had at the daily briefing admitted the last time he spoke to Mr
Johnson “in person” was on Saturday.
Downing Street had insisted that Mr Johnson was taken to hospital as a precaution, rather than as an emergency, and did not travel there in an ambulance.
The PM had tweeted from his hospital bed: “On the advice of my doctor, I went into hospital for some routine tests as I’m still experiencing coronavirus symptoms.
“I’m in good spirits and keeping in touch with my team, as we work together to fight this virus and keep everyone safe.” In other developments:
■ Mr Jenrick advised councils to avoid closing parks, after sunbathers used them at the weekend. He insisted it would be a “absolute last resort” as those living in cramped conditions and high-rise flats rely on the spaces.
■ Government scientific adviser Professor Sir John Bell warned a mass antibody test is at least a month away. ■ More flights to repatriate UK nationals stranded around the world have been announced by ministers, but travellers will have to pay up to £1,000 for a ticket.
■ The furlough scheme will now be open to people who cannot do their job from home due to a “caring need”, including looking after their own children.
■ New figures showed testing topped 16,000 on Sunday.
■ Two more prisoners, a 46-year-old at HMP Low Newton and one aged 59 at HMP Littlehey, have died after testing positive for Covid-19.
The Government appeared to shift away from discussing its exit strategy from the lockdown - even though Mr Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock had both done so in recent days.
Mr Raab said it was too early to start discussing such a move and that focusing on anything other than existing measures would delay getting through the peak of the outbreak.
The PM’S chief aide Dominic Cummings continues to self-isolate.
In intensive care he is very likely to have been put on a ventilator to breathe PROF DEREK HILL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON