UK PM Boris Johnson's health 'continues to improve' after contracting COVID-19

As UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson readies to spend the fourth day in the intensive care unit on April 8, Downing Street has said his condition “continues to improve” after contracting COVID-19 earlier this month. While Britain is bracing itself for more deaths from the novel virus in the upcoming weeks and is preparing to extend the lockdown, British culture secretary Oliver Dowden told an international news broadcaster that “he’s stable, improving”. He also added that Johnson is now able to sit up and even engage with the medical staff at the hospital and said: “things are getting better for him”.

As of April 9, UK has recorded over 60,730 confirmed cases of COVID-19 disease with least 7,097 fatalities and British PM has become one of the most high-profile cases of the pandemic. UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab who is currently substituting for Johnson in the cabinet meetings for country’s response to coronavirus outbreak called it a “war cabinet”. The initial lockdown of UK ends on April 13, and British media has reported the government might announce an extension.

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Raab has also showcased his optimism on Johnson’s recovery. Raab said that he is “confident” British PM would recover and called him a “fighter”. During a coronavirus briefing, Raab even informed that Johnson was receiving standard oxygen treatment and was breathing without any support from the ventilator.  The British PM had announced that he was tested positive for coronavirus earlier this month, and since then he was in self-isolation and was even chairing digital cabinet meetings over UK’s response to the pandemic but was admitted to hospital due to persistent symptoms.

Coronavirus outbreak

After originating from China’s “wet markets”, the coronavirus has now claimed over 88,516 lives worldwide as of April 9. According to the tally by international news agency, the pandemic has now spread to 209 countries and has infected at least 1,518,970 people. Out of the total infections, 330,697 have been recovered but the easily spread virus is continuing to disrupt many lives. Major cities have been put under lockdown in almost all countries and the economy is struggling. 

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(With agency inputs)