Johnson out of intensive care and ‘in good spirits’

Boris Johnson is “on the road to recovery” from coronavirus after being taken out of intensive care.

The Prime Minister has been responding well to treatment and spent his fifth night in hospital back on a general ward at St Thomas’ Hospital in London.

In a statement from Number 10 and St Thomas’ at quarter past seven yesterday evening, a spokesman said: “The Prime Minister has been moved this evening from intensive care back to the ward, where he will receive close monitoring during the early phase of his recovery.

“He is in extremely good spirits.”

An earlier update – just after noon yesterday – had said the Prime Minister was continuing to improve.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon responded on Twitter saying it was “good news”, and Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw said it was “news we can all

welcome”. Health Secretary Matt Hancock posted: “So good that the Prime Minister is out of intensive care and on the road to recovery.

“The NHS is there for us all and I know our amazing NHS staff have given him their characteristic world-class care.”

Mr Johnson was admitted to hospital on Sunday evening, and transferred to intensive care 24 hours later after his condition worsened.

However, he has not required to be intubated or put on a ventilator, and has been breathing on his own with the support of “standard oxygen treatment” only.

Mr Johnson’s improvement will raise hopes of a return to Downing Street, with a major decision on the UK’S lockdown measures next week.

Yesterday the former defence minister Tobias Ellwood said that the Prime Minister remained “accessible” to his government advisors and was “mentally able to make decisions”. However, medical experts have warned that full recovery following a stay in intensive care for coronavirus can take weeks.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is standing in for the Prime Minister while he is treated in hospital, said he has not spoken to Mr Johnson since he was admitted to hospital.

But he insisted ministers have “all the authority we need” to decide on the UK’S lockdown measures without the Prime Minister’s input.