Coronavirus: British PM Boris Johnson leaves intensive care, remains under observation
Prime Minister Boris Johnson left intensive care on Thursday evening (April 9) as he
continues to recover from Covid-19, but he remains under close observation in hospital, his office said on Thursday.
Johnson, 55, was admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital on Sunday evening with a persistent high temperature and cough, and was rushed to intensive care on Monday
where he spent three nights receiving treatment. “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,”a spokesman from his office said in an emailed statement.
“He is in extremely good spirits.”Johnson was the first world leader to be hospitalised
with the coronavirus, forcing him to hand control of the world’s fifth-largest economy to foreign minister Dominic Raab just as Britain’s outbreak approaches its most deadly peak.
US President Donald Trump tweeted that the improvement in Johnson’s condition was “great news”. News
of Johnson’s ongoing recovery prompted a small
rise in the value of sterling against the dollar.
However, the government statement did not give any
details on when Johnson may be able to resume
leadership, and Raab - speaking before the latest
announcement – had stressed the importance of
allowing the prime minister to focus on recovery.
No further updates on Johnson’s health were expected
on Thursday.
Raab is deputising for Johnson during the most stringent
shutdown in Britain’s peacetime history.
Earlier he told a news conference it was too early to end
the lockdown because Britain had not reached the peak
of the outbreak yet.
The UK death toll in hospitals from coronavirus now
stands at 7,978, a rise of 881 on the day but a smaller
increase than the 938 seen in Wednesday’s data.
GOVERNMENT SPENDING
With Johnson absent and the death toll still mounting,
the British government is wrestling with two major
issues – how to finance a vast increase in state spending
to support the shuttered economy, and when to start
easing lockdown measures.
With the economy facing potentially the worst hit since
World War Two, the government said it had expanded
its overdraft facility with the Bank of England.
The central bank has agreed temporarily to finance
government borrowing in response to Covid-19 if funds
cannot immediately be raised from debt markets,
reviving a measure last widely used during the 2008
financial crisis.
The BoE said it was a short-term measure and both it
and government said any borrowing from the Ways and
Means facility - effectively the government’s overdraft
with the Bank – would be repaid by the end of the year.
The government has made pledges costing tens of
billions of pounds to support businesses and workers hit
by the virus. On Thursday, the government said an
additional 1.2 million claims for welfare payments had
been filed since March 16.
Raab said the peak of the virus outbreak had yet to be
reached and that the government would not be able to
say more about the duration of the lockdown until late
next week, once experts have had chance to analyse data
on how well it is working. It was introduced last month.
“The measures will have to stay in place until we’ve got
the evidence that clearly shows we’ve moved beyond the
peak,” he said.
While Johnson’s condition was said to be improving, it
was unclear how long he might be incapacitated, with
some political commentators saying there was a power
vacuum in his absence.
Raab said on Thursday he had the power to make
“necessary decisions” in the prime minister’s absence
and that government will continue to follow the strategy
set out by Johnson. He said cabinet could take decisions
collectively.
The United Kingdom is entering what scientists say is
the deadliest phase of the outbreak, with deaths
expected to continue to rise over the Easter weekend.
But in a sign the shutdown measures were working,
health officials have said the number of coronavirus
infections and hospital admissions had begun to show
signs of flattening.
Police said they would be taking tougher action to do
just that before the four-day Easter holiday weekend
because many people were continuing to ignore the ban
on social gatherings.
continues to recover from Covid-19, but he remains under close observation in hospital, his office said on Thursday.
Johnson, 55, was admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital on Sunday evening with a persistent high temperature and cough, and was rushed to intensive care on Monday
where he spent three nights receiving treatment. “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,”a spokesman from his office said in an emailed statement.
“He is in extremely good spirits.”Johnson was the first world leader to be hospitalised
with the coronavirus, forcing him to hand control of the world’s fifth-largest economy to foreign minister Dominic Raab just as Britain’s outbreak approaches its most deadly peak.
US President Donald Trump tweeted that the improvement in Johnson’s condition was “great news”. News
rise in the value of sterling against the dollar.
However, the government statement did not give any
details on when Johnson may be able to resume
leadership, and Raab - speaking before the latest
announcement – had stressed the importance of
allowing the prime minister to focus on recovery.
No further updates on Johnson’s health were expected
on Thursday.
Raab is deputising for Johnson during the most stringent
shutdown in Britain’s peacetime history.
Earlier he told a news conference it was too early to end
the lockdown because Britain had not reached the peak
of the outbreak yet.
The UK death toll in hospitals from coronavirus now
stands at 7,978, a rise of 881 on the day but a smaller
increase than the 938 seen in Wednesday’s data.
GOVERNMENT SPENDING
With Johnson absent and the death toll still mounting,
the British government is wrestling with two major
issues – how to finance a vast increase in state spending
to support the shuttered economy, and when to start
easing lockdown measures.
With the economy facing potentially the worst hit since
World War Two, the government said it had expanded
its overdraft facility with the Bank of England.
The central bank has agreed temporarily to finance
government borrowing in response to Covid-19 if funds
cannot immediately be raised from debt markets,
reviving a measure last widely used during the 2008
financial crisis.
The BoE said it was a short-term measure and both it
and government said any borrowing from the Ways and
Means facility - effectively the government’s overdraft
with the Bank – would be repaid by the end of the year.
The government has made pledges costing tens of
billions of pounds to support businesses and workers hit
by the virus. On Thursday, the government said an
additional 1.2 million claims for welfare payments had
been filed since March 16.
Raab said the peak of the virus outbreak had yet to be
reached and that the government would not be able to
say more about the duration of the lockdown until late
next week, once experts have had chance to analyse data
on how well it is working. It was introduced last month.
“The measures will have to stay in place until we’ve got
the evidence that clearly shows we’ve moved beyond the
peak,” he said.
While Johnson’s condition was said to be improving, it
was unclear how long he might be incapacitated, with
some political commentators saying there was a power
vacuum in his absence.
Raab said on Thursday he had the power to make
“necessary decisions” in the prime minister’s absence
and that government will continue to follow the strategy
set out by Johnson. He said cabinet could take decisions
collectively.
The United Kingdom is entering what scientists say is
the deadliest phase of the outbreak, with deaths
expected to continue to rise over the Easter weekend.
But in a sign the shutdown measures were working,
health officials have said the number of coronavirus
infections and hospital admissions had begun to show
signs of flattening.
Police said they would be taking tougher action to do
just that before the four-day Easter holiday weekend
because many people were continuing to ignore the ban
on social gatherings.
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