Boris Johnson is stable and ‘in good spirits’, recovering well from coronavirus

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is recovering well from COVID-19 after exhibiting persistent symptoms and spending the night in intensive care at St Thomas Hospital in London.

Johnson is on standard oxygen treatment and does not require a ventilator. A Downing Street spokesperson said on Tuesday that “the Prime Minister has been stable overnight and remains in good spirits. He is receiving oxygen treatment and is breathing without any other assistance.”

Johnson does not have pneumonia.

The Queen sent her well-wishes to the Prime Minister and his pregnant wife, Carrie Symonds, and wished them both a speedy recovery.

Johnson’s weekly audience with the Queen will not go ahead as planned, however, with a spokesperson saying that if there are any changes to his condition, Buckingham Palace would be expressly informed.

A Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove was the latest of a number of UK politicians to self-isolate after a family member developed symptoms. A spokesperson said that he had not developed symptoms himself but is taking precautions.

Johnson developed mild symptoms and subsequently tested positive for COVID-19 on 27 March; on 3 April, Johnson still exhibited fever symptoms despite isolation. He was moved to intensive care on Monday evening.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is acting as deputy for the Prime Minister and is the one designated to stand in for Johnson if the latter is unwell.

Former cabinet member Baroness Morgan told BBC on Tuesday that people have been stunned by Johnson’s deterioration in health.

“Obviously, he was very front and centre in an election campaign, which seems like a million years ago but was only a couple of months ago, and people invest an awful lot of hope in their leaders at this time of national crisis.”