British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, 55, was taken to a London hospital intensive care unit for coronavirus treatment on Monday after his condition deteriorated, his office said.
Johnson was admitted to St. Thomas’s Hospital in London on Sunday night and he became more seriously ill on Monday afternoon, a government spokesperson said in an email. He was given oxygen late on Monday afternoon, Bloomberg reported.
Johnson tested positive for the virus 10 days ago and pregnant partner, Carrie Symonds.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will stand in for Johnson running the country “where necessary,” a government spokesperson said.
Dominic Raab, 46, is a former lawyer who trained so hard at karate in his mid-30s that he had to have a hip replacement. He became known as a troublemaker under former Prime Minister David Cameron, asking awkward questions and backing Brexit, Bloomberg reported. “That upset voters in his southwest London district, and he came close to losing the usually safe Conservative seat in last year’s election despite a national surge for the Tories.”
Johnson was taken to hospital for tests after testing positive for coronavirus 10 days ago. His symptoms included a high temperature and a cough, BBC reported.
His partner, Carrie Symonds, also tested positive for coronavirus. On Saturday, she said that she had spent a week in bed with the main symptoms and was on the mend. She said she had not been tested for the virus.
Queen Elizabeth II addressed the country during a rare televised speech on Sunday — the four other times marked the Gulf War, the death of Princess Diana of Wales, the death of her mother, and her Diamond Jubilee. She called for unity amid the coronavirus pandemic, CNN reported.
Listen to GHOGH with Jamarlin Martin | Episode 70: Jamarlin Martin Jamarlin goes solo to discuss the COVID-19 crisis. He talks about the failed leadership of Trump, Andrew Cuomo, CDC Director Robert Redfield, Surgeon General Jerome Adams, and New York Mayor de Blasio.
Britain has reported more than 4,000 coronavirus-related deaths, the fourth-highest recorded in the world, according to Johns Hopkins University.
“Together we are tackling this disease, and I want to reassure you that if we remain united and resolute, then we will overcome it,” the Queen said. “I hope in the years to come everyone will be able to take pride in how they responded to this challenge.”
Prince Charles, next in line to the throne, was confirmed positive for COVID-19 last week. He self-isolated at his home in Scotland and said he only experienced mild symptoms.
