London: Boris Johnson spent Monday night in the intensive care unit (ICU) at a London hospital in a move Downing Street said was a ‘precaution’ should the British Prime Minister require ventilation to aid his recovery from the COVID-19. Johnson, 55, was taken to St. Thomas’ Hospital in London, a specialist infectious diseases National Health Service (NHS) facility, on Sunday night for “routine tests” after persistent coronavirus symptoms, including a high temperature and a cough.
His condition “worsened” during the course of Monday when his doctors decided to shift him to the ICU. “The Prime Minister is not on a ventilator. He has received oxygen support and one of the reasons of being in intensive care is to ensure that whatever support the medical team consider to be appropriate can be provided,” said UK Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove on Tuesday morning. Johnson had tested positive for coronavirus 12 days ago and had continued to lead the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic via video conferencing from his Downing Street home.
On Monday night, he asked his First Secretary of State, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, to step in for him and the minister will be chairing his second daily COVID-19 meeting in place of the UK PM on Tuesday. “The government’s business will continue.
The Prime Minister is in safe hands with that brilliant team at St. Thomas’ hospital, and the focus of the government will continue to be on making sure that the Prime Minister’s direction, all the plans for making sure that we can defeat coronavirus and can pull the country through this challenge, will be taken forward,” said Raab. Raab said he would be deputising for Johnson “where necessary” while he is in hospital.
“There’s an incredibly strong team spirit behind the Prime Minister, and making sure that we get all of the plans the Prime Minister’s instructed us to deliver, to get them implemented as soon as possible. And that’s the way it will bring the whole country through the coronavirus challenge that we face right now,” said the senior Cabinet minister.
The team spirit was on display as ministers of Johnson’s top team took to social media to wish him a speedy recovery and support to his pregnant fiancee Carrie Symonds. “My love and thoughts are with Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds and the Prime Ministers family. Praying for you and thinking of you,” said UK Home Secretary Priti Patel in her Twitter message, alongside an image of her alongside Johnson at a temple in London on the campaign trail from the past year.
Fellow Indian-origin senior Cabinet colleague, UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak, echoed the message: “My thoughts tonight are with Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds. I know he’ll be getting the best care possible and will come out of this even stronger.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the world leaders who sent out their messages of support to the UK PM. “Hang in there, Prime Minister Boris Johnson! Hope to see you out of hospital and in perfect health very soon,” said Modi in his Twitter message. US President Donald Trump said Americans “are all praying for his recovery” as he described Johnson as “a very good friend of mine and a friend to our nation” who is “strong” and “doesn’t give up”.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he sends “all my support to Boris Johnson, to his family and to the British people at this difficult moment”. UK’s newly-elected Opposition Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer described it as “terribly sad news”. “All the country’s thoughts are with the prime minister and his family during this incredibly difficult time,” he said. London Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted that St. Thomas’ Hospital in London had “some of the finest medical staff in the world” and that the Prime Minister “couldn’t be in safer hands”. (PTI)
