LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been shifted to intensive care after his coronavirus symptoms worsened, confirmed Downing Street on Monday.
Downing Street spokesman said he was moved on the advice of his medical team and was receiving “excellent care”.
Johnson, the most prominent victim yet of the pandemic, deputized his foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, to stand in for him, but remained conscious, the spokesman said.
The British prime minister, 55, was admitted to hospital in London with “persistent symptoms” on Sunday evening.
Officials said the prime minister was given oxygen late on Monday, before being taken to intensive care. However, he has not been put on a ventilator.
“The prime minister has been under the care of doctors at St Thomas’ Hospital, in London, after being admitted with persistent symptoms of coronavirus”, No 10 spokesman said, adding “Over the course of [Monday] 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 is receiving excellent care, and thanks all NHS staff for their hard work and dedication”, he said.
The setback came as the death toll from the virus jumped in Western Europe and soared past 10,000 in the United States — taking the global toll above 74,600, out of more than 1.32 million confirmed cases.
Queen Elizebth has been kept informed about Johnson’s health by 10 Downing Street, according to Buckingham Palace.
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