COVID-19: UK PM Boris Johnson admitted to hospital after showing persistent symptoms

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been admitted to the hospital for tests after showing persistent symptoms of coronavirus. Johnson was tested positive of the novel virus over a week back. However, the British Prime Minister's office and residence has confirmed that he has been hospitalised as a precautionary measure. He was taken to a London hospital on Sunday evening with persistent symptoms, including temperature.

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"On the advice of his doctor, the Prime Minister has tonight been admitted to hospital for tests," Downing Street said as quoted by international media.

"This is a precautionary step, as the Prime Minister continues to have persistent symptoms of coronavirus 10 days after testing positive for the virus," international media reported.

Johnson, 55, announced that he had tested positive for the virus on March 27, describing a cough and a fever in a video posted to Twitter. The British Prime Minister has thanked the National Health Service (NHS) for selflessly serving the nation.

Queen Elizabeth II, in a rare televised address on Sunday, called on United Kingdom to rise to confront the challenge of the coronavirus pandemic and sought to rally people in an increasingly challenging time by offering words of reassurance to lift their spirits.

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She thanked the NHS frontline health care workers who have been battling the crisis head-on. She said, "I am sure the nation will join me in assuring you that what you do is appreciated and every hour of your hard work brings us closer to a return to more normal times."

"While we have faced challenges before, this one is different. This time we join with all nations across the globe in a common endeavour, using the great advances of science and our instinctive compassion to heal. We will succeed - and that success will belong to every one of us," she said in her four-minute-long speech.

Earlier, Prince Charles who had tested positive of the novel virus had come out of quarantine within a week of being tested positive, however, the Prince of Wales was said to be maintaining social distancing as a precautionary measure. The UK has reported over 48,000 positive cases of COVID-19 with nearly 5,000 deaths. The deadly pandemic has infected millions worldwide while claiming nearly 70,000 lives.