Boris Johnson taken to intensive care as coronavirus symptoms worsen

PM ‘still conscious’ but moved after having breathing trouble

Foreign secretary Dominic Raab will ‘deputise where necessary’

Raab: Johnson’s condition ‘deteriorated over course of Monday afternoon’

Johnson was moved at 7pm on Monday - just two hours after daily press briefing

News brings outpouring of support from across British politics

Buckingham Palace: Queen ‘kept informed of prime minister’s condition’

Johnson’s pregnant fiancee Carrie Symonds also receives huge wave of support in wake of news

Boris Johnson has been taken to intensive care after his coronavirus symptoms worsened.

The UK prime minister had been in St Thomas’ Hospital in central London for tests and observation, but his doctors advised he be admitted to intensive care after he experienced breathing difficulties.

His absence leaves a vacuum in leadership at a crucial time in the UK’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which so far has killed 5,373 patients.

Johnson is reported to be still conscious, but was moved to an ICU at 7pm on Monday in case he needed a ventilator.

He had been admitted to hospital on Sunday after his coronavirus symptoms had persisted for 10 days for what Downing Street were precautionary tests.

Johnson, pictured last month, was admitted to hospital after his coronavirus symptoms persisted. (PA)

A spokesman for Johnson said: “Since Sunday evening, the prime minister has been under the care of doctors at St Thomas’ Hospital, in London, after being admitted with persistent symptoms of coronavirus.

“Over the course of this afternoon, the condition of the prime minister has worsened and, on the advice of his medical team, he has been moved to the intensive care unit at the hospital.

“The PM has asked foreign secretary Dominic Raab, who is the first secretary of state, to deputise for him where necessary.

“The PM is receiving excellent care, and thanks all NHS staff for their hard work and dedication.”

Foreign secretary Dominic Raab (right) said during Monday's coronavirus press briefing he last spoke to the prime minister on Saturday. (PA)

The prime minister was last seen when he tweeted a video message update about his condition on Friday, when he still had a temperature but was not in hospital. (Twitter)

It was reported on Monday night that Johnson, 55, experienced breathing difficulties earlier in the day and was given oxygen.

When it became clear that he had to be moved to intensive care, the prime minister told an aide that Raab should deputise for him, according to The Times.

Mr Raab’s first job as stand-in PM on Tuesday will be to lead the Government’s emergency daily coronavirus “war Cabinet” meeting with senior colleagues and the UK’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, and chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance.

The prime minister tweeted this image of his virtual cabinet meeting held via Zoom while he was self isolating at the end of March. (PA)

The foreign secretary said the prime minister is in “safe hands” and has been receiving “excellent care”, adding the government was focused on “making sure we can defeat coronavirus”, although he admitted that the pair last spoke on Saturday.

The prime minister himself tweeted on Monday lunchtime that he was ‘in good spirits and keeping in touch with my team’.

He was last seen in public on Thursday evening, when he emerged onto the steps of Downing St to join the ‘Clap for Carers’ celebration of NHS workers.

Johnson’s fiancee, Carrie Symonds, previously said she had been suffering COVID-19 symptoms, but is “on the mend”. Ms Symonds, 32, who is expecting the couple’s first baby in early summer, said she was not tested for the virus.

Ministers and members of the newly formed shadow cabinet were quick to offer their support to the prime minister.

Reference: Yahoo News