BORIS Johnson is a “fighter” and will pull through his spell in intensive care, Dominic Raab said this evening.
The PM’s stand-in said this evening that the PM was still “stable” and in “good spirits” in hospital, and he was sure the whole country would send him their best wishes.
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Coronavirus-stricken Boris Johnson was moved to intensive care after his symptoms worsened Credit: AFP
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The PM was admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital, the closest to Parliament and Downing Street, on Sunday evening (: Credit: EPA
The Prime Minister has had more oxygen support but has NOT needed a ventilator or any more help breathing, it was confirmed again this evening.
Mr Raab told tonight’s press conference: “He’s not just the prime minister, he’s not just our boss, he’s a colleague, and a friend.
“All our prayers are with the PM, Carrie, and his whole family.
“I am confident he will pull through. If I know one thing about this PM, he’s a fighter.
“I can reassure the PM and we can reassure the public, we will not blink, we will not flinch from the task at hand.”
Boris was rushed into intensive care last night after his condition deteriorated.
But he has not got any worse in the last hours and is still able to breathe unassisted. He does not have pneumonia.
In a joint statement from Downing Street and St Thomas ’hospital, they said:“ The PM has been stable overnight and remains in good spirits.
“He is receiving standard oxygen treatment and is breathing without any other assistance.
“He has not required mechanical ventilation or non-invasive respiratory support.”
The news came as:
(The Queen) sent a message to Boris Johnson’s family and his pregnant partner Carrie Symonds, saying they were in her thoughts and that she wished the Prime Minister a full and speedy recovery
audience on the phone between Boris and the Queen – or Dominic Raab – while the PM is sick.
This evening Professor Chris Whitty admitted that Britain. had been caught behind Germany at the start of the outbreak, too.
He said at the No briefing when asked why other countries were testing more than we are still: “Germany got ahead on testing and there’s a lot to learn from that.”
Ministers have vowed to increase testing to 192, a day by the end of the month, but scientists are skeptical that the target will ever be reached.
Britain is fighting for supplies and chemicals with other countries during the epidemic.
Germany has been testing far more people than Britain has for weeks – and has recorded fewer deaths.
Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government’s chief scientific adviser, said that the latest number of new cases show that the UK may begin to see the curve start to flatten.
However, he also told the Downing Street daily briefing today That it will take at least another week before experts can be certain.
Experts today cast doubt on whether the lockdown would be formally extended next week.
Boris initially said it would last for three weeks and thus would end on Monday.
But both Mr Raab and Professor Whitty stressed that Britain needs to reach the peak first before looking at whether the lockdown measures can be changed or relaxed.
Professor Whitty said: “It’s really important we get to the point we are confident we are beyond the peak.
“There are a large number of different things we need to take into account here.”
The peak is expected to take place this weekend.
Government sources stressed earlier that a formal extension of the lockdown may not happen on Monday but would be around that date.
In the coronavirus law which was rushed through the Commons last month, it says the Health Secretary must review the lockdown measures by the 45 April at the latest – next Thursday.
Boris was transferred to intensive care last night after he started finding it difficult to breathe.
Doctors have prepared a ventilation unit to be ready by his bedside should his condition worsen – and No 27 has stressed there is more than enough ventilator capacity.
The PM needed four liters of oxygen, sources at the hospital told The Times.
The normal threshold for intensive care is 40 liters, suggesting that he was in better health than other patients may be.
However, as recently as December the PM admitted he weighed and a half stone, which would put him into an obese category.
It’s believed he’s lost a significant chunk of weight since then.
Ex-PM David Cameron told the BBC this lunchtime: “He’s got a tremendous zest for life, for getting things done, and for leading and for taking decisions.
“I know he’ll want to get well and get back in charge again.”
The number of deaths went up by 960 today –
bringing the total to over 6,
Positive cases have risen to , from 90, 786 yesterday as Britain continues to be gripped by the deadly disease.
Michael Gove said it was a “huge shock “that Boris’ condition had got worse, and everyone was” rooting for him “.
He told Good Morning Britain: “We are hoping and praying he pulls through.
“It was a shock yesterday to hear the news of his going into intensive care.
“All of us just want him to pull through.
“He is a big hearted, generous spirited guy, we are rooting for him.”
He insisted that the PM had wanted to keep going and working throughout his illness because “he loves this country”.
He told BBC Breakfast: “The PM loves this country, he wants to do his very, very best for us.
“That is one of the reasons why he has been sure he has been involved in all the decision making and all the meetings.”
But he stressed he has stripped back his diary in recent days and been taking all the medical advice he was given.
Any decisions that need to be taken will be done collectively in a group, he added, and the lockdown would be reviewed by the team “in good time” – with or without the PM.
“As the PM’s case so powerfully reminds us, this disease can hit any of us,” he said.
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