The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Prime minister on mend but must continue with isolation
Boris Johnson has said he is “feeling better” after suffering from coronavirus, but will remain in selfisolation until his temperature drops.
In a video on social media, the prime minister urged the public to stick with social distancing and not be tempted to “hang out” in the warmer weather predicted for this weekend.
Meanwhile the Department of Health confirmed 684 more people have died in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus, bringing the total deaths in the UK to 3,605 as of 5pm on Thursday.
Speaking about his own health, Mr Johnson said: “Although I’m feeling better and I’ve done my seven days of isolation, alas I still have one of the symptoms, a minor symptom, I still have a temperature.
“So, in accordance with government advice I must continue my selfisolation until that symptom itself goes.”
Mr Johnson urged people not to break social distancing rules as the weather warms up, even if they were going “a bit stir crazy”.
He said: “I reckon a lot of people will be starting to think that this is all going on for quite a long time and would rather be getting out there, particularly if you’ve got kids in the household.
“Everybody may be getting a bit stir crazy and there may be just a temptation to get out there, hang out and start to break the regulations.
“I just urge you not to do that. Please, please stick with the guidance now.”
Public Health England said 11,764 tests were carried out on Thursday in England, while testing capacity for inpatient care in the country stands at 12,799 tests per day.
It came as the first of the government’s emergency field hospitals to treat coronavirus patients opened in east London’s ExCel centre.
The temporary NHS Nightingale Hospital is able to take up to 4,000 patients and will be staffed by NHS medics with help from the military.
Similar hospitals are in the pipeline across the UK, including in Glasgow.
Two siblings of Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab, the 13-year-old who died after testing positive for coronavirus, have since developed symptoms, according to a family friend.
The development meant Ismail’s mother and six siblings have been forced to self-isolate at their home in Brixton and were unable to attend his funeral yesterday.
He was buried at the Eternal Gardens Muslim burial ground at Kemnal Park Cemetery in Chislehurst by undertakers wearing protective equipment as a small number of mourners watched on from a short distance away.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there was a “stream of work under way” looking at immunity and the possibility of immunity certificates so those who have had Covid-19 can get back to normal.
He said the virus is expected to peak in the UK in the next few weeks, adding: “It’s very, very sensitive to how many people follow the social distancing guidelines.”
He said there are around 35,000 frontline NHS staff not in work due to coronavirus, but he added the testing figures for health staff “should” rise to thousands a day in the next few weeks.