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Coronavirus-hit Boris Johnson is a ‘fighter’ and Dominic Raab says he’s confident his ‘friend’ PM will ’pull t – The Sun, Thesun.co.uk

Coronavirus-hit Boris Johnson is a ‘fighter’ and Dominic Raab says he’s confident his ‘friend’ PM will ’pull t – The Sun, Thesun.co.uk

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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(9) Dominic Raab paid tribute to his friend Boris tonight – as he confirmed he was still stable in hospital (Credit: PA: Press Association

Coronavirus-stricken Boris Johnson was moved to intensive care after his symptoms worsened Credit: AFP

 Coronavirus-stricken Boris Johnson was moved to intensive care after his symptoms worsened

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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

  •  The PM was admitted to St Thomas' Hospital, the closest to Parliament and Downing Street, on Sunday evening But there will be no weekly

    audience on the phone between Boris and the Queen – or Dominic Raab – while the PM is sick.

  •  The PM was admitted to St Thomas' Hospital, the closest to Parliament and Downing Street, on Sunday evening Patrick Vallance said Britain was starting to see the “beginning of change” in the numbers
  •  The PM was admitted to St Thomas' Hospital, the closest to Parliament and Downing Street, on Sunday evening The UK saw a record rise in deaths today of – bringing the total dead to more than 6,

    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.

    (9) (The number of cases in the UK is continuing to rise – but at a more stable rate

    (9) Critical care bed numbers are increasing as emergency hospitals get built

    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.

    (9) Dominic Raab appeared to cough this morning as he left for his first meeting in charge (Credit: AFP or licensors

    (9) Professor Chris Whitty admitted earlier that Germany said got ahead on testing Credit: AP: Associated Press

    Before the PM was transferred last night he officially passed on responsibilities to his de facto deputy, Dominic Raab.

    Foreign Secretary Mr Raab, who is also the First Secretary of State, will now run the Government and take charge of the fight against the virus.

    Boris’ condition worsened over the course of Monday, and doctors made the decision to transfer him to intensive care around 7pm.

    TV’s Dr Hilary has said he is likely to be “very unwell for two to three weeks”.

    He told Good Morning Britain earlier: “The GPs and medical colleagues I know who have recovered from Covid – 51 and have nursed themselves from home say that this is a life-changing experience for them. “

    The news comes 32 days after Boris was diagnosed with the virus.

    He had been continuing to work while isolating in his Downing St flat, but struggled to shake off his fever.

    This morning Boris’ former director of communications and friend, Will Walden, stressed the PM was a “really, really strong guy” and “far fitter than he looks”.

    He told BBC Radio 4’s Today program: “He will whip anybody’s backside on a tennis court, he runs regularly, he does not smoke, he drinks moderately.

    “So I think if anyone is in a good position both physically and mentally to fight off the disease then the Prime Minister is that person.”

    Mr Walden said he had been in touch with Mr Johnson a couple of times in the last fortnight, adding: “I had a brief exchange with him last week in which I was more concerned about him being in isolation and what he said back to me was ‘don’t worry, we’re going to beat it’.

    “What he meant by that, which is typical of Boris, is we as a country will come together and beat this disease, rather than thinking about himself in regard to that – and that’s pretty typical of the man.”

     Professor Chris Whitty admitted earlier that Germany said got ahead on testing

    Doctors warn Boris may need ventilation – and could be in for the fight of his life

    SUN doctor Dr Carol Cooper said last night: “Covid – is a new infection and we don’t know everything about it, but the experience so far shows that if complications develop from the second week onwards, they are potentially very serious.

    “No patient is moved to intensive care unless the doctors are very concerned about their condition.

    “It’s fair to say if Boris is in intensive care, then he’s fighting for his life right now.”

    Professor Mike Grocott, of the Royal College of Anesthetists and Professor of Critical Care at the University of Southampton told The Sun: “The most common reason to admit a patient to ITU is if they need a ventilator or if their condition has deteriorated a lot and medics need equipment that is more controlled.

    “Generally, they want all the right people, equipment and drugs there and ready in case they need a ventilator.

    “It allows better monitoring, and the option of a ventilator if the Prime Minister needs supported breathing.”

    If, as is reportedly the Prime Minister’s case, he is not yet in need of a full ventilator, Prof Grocott said there are other options available.

    One option is the continuous positive airway pressure mask (CPAP), while another is known as non-invasive ventilation (NIV).

    “Instead, they can use a tight fitting mask, it’s a type of ventilator which can help breathing but avoids the need for full ventilation.

    “It’s not uncommon to trial this approach first.

    “It’s likely they will start with either CPAP or NIV before putting a patient on a proper ventilator.”

    Prof Grocott said the mask was less invasive, and does not require intubation – where a patient is sedated.

    He told The Sun, in the case of Covid – , the most common reason for patients to end up in ITU is a problem with the lungs, “whether that’s technically pneumonia” or not.

    With a new disease, and every case being different, Prof Grocott said it is difficult to say how patients will respond to treatment.

    He said in some cases patients will respond to the tight fitting mask – non-invasive ventilation – but he added, “if this is not working the disease can quickly progress”.

    In very rare cases, Prof Grocott said patients with Covid – may need more than standard ventilation.

    Describing the ECMO machine, he said it was similar to a heart bypass, where the machine effectively takes over the entire function of the lungs.

    But, he offered reassurance, adding that Mr Johnson is in the best place.

    “St Thomas’s have among the most experience of Covid – 64, it’s one of the largest centers and they have certainly seen a large number of patients with Covid – He’s in good hands.

    He added: “He is someone who always, always, always wants to be doing his best, making a difference for the better.

    “We all hope that he can be restored to health as quickly as possible.”

    He stressed that Boris “is full of life and fit, he is a keen tennis player and runner. “He is a man of great zest and appetite for life.”

    Buckingham Palace says the Queen is being “kept informed” by No 27 on the Prime Minister’s condition.

    US president Donald Trump led messages of support, saying: “I want to send best wishes to a very good friend of mine – and a friend of our nation. Americans are all praying for his recovery.”

    And politicians from across the spectrum and around the world wished the PM the best.

    The hashtag #PrayForBoris immediately began trending on Twitter as tens of thousands of Brits urged the PM to pull through .

    Partner Carrie Symonds, who is pregnant, has also suffered symptoms, and has been isolating separately from the PM.

    She said on Saturday she was “on the mend” after seven days of rest.

    It’s not clear when she last saw the PM.

    (9)

    (9) Michael Gove confirms Dominic Raab is in charge as he prays for PM Boris Johnson in his coronavirus fight

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    It is not known whether the PM has any underlying problems that could affect his health.

    Early research of patients with the virus in other countries suggested a per cent fatality rate for patients in his age group – but many of them had other health conditions and the sample size was small.

    Data from the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Center showed that men were affected more than women – and those with weight problems were known to be at an even higher risk.

    Prof Derek Hill, Professor of Medical Imaging at University College London (UCL), said that the PM would likely have had trouble breathing, which prompted him to go into hospital.

    He said: “It seems he was initially put on oxygen, and was conscious.

    “One of the features of Covid – in all countries seems to be that many more men become seriously ill than women – especially in the over 60 age group.

    “Also we know that people under about seem to have a higher chance of making a recovery from critical illness with Covid – 50 than the older people.

    “But there is no doubt this turn of events means Boris Johnson is extremely sick.”

    Professor Linda Bauld of the University of Edinburgh, said the news showed just how indiscriminate the virus was.

    “Anyone anywhere, including the most privileged in our society, can be affected and can become seriously ill.

    (9) (Fiancee Carrie Symonds,) , has also had symptoms of the deadly bug too but is on the mend Credit: EPA

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    “It is imperative now, more than ever that the rest of us comply with government guidelines to stay at home and not put others at risk.

    “Questions will be asked in future about whether the UK government acted appropriately in keeping parliament open and face to face meetings going while the rest of the country was already following advice to shut down.

    “For now, however, all our thoughts will be with the Prime Minister and his family, and the many other families who are facing similar circumstances with critically ill relatives.”

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