Prime Minister Boris Johnson is said to be ‘in good spirits’, and ‘responding to treatment’ after spending a second night in intensive care with COVID-19. Mr Johnson was admitted to St Thomas’ hospital on Sunday evening, and moved to intensive care on Monday after his condition worsened. His condition is described as stable. He is said to be receiving oxygen, but is not on a ventilator. ‘He is breathing without any other assistance,’ said a spokesman.
In his absence, many of his duties have been taken on by Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary. Commenting on Mr Johnson’s health, Mr Raab said: ‘I am confident he’ll pull through – the PM is a fighter.’
The Government is due to review its lockdown policy next week, but few expect it to be relaxed. Former Health Secretary, and current Commons Health Select Committee chair, Jeremy Hunt told the BBC he expects restrictions to be in place for at least another month.
The daily death toll from COVID-19 continues to rise, with England recording 828 new deaths, Scotland 70, Wales 33, and Northern Ireland 5. However the Government’s chief scientific advisor Sir Patrick Vallance sounded a not of cautious optimism, pointing to a a fourth successive day of below-trend growth in new cases. ‘It’s possible that we’re beginning to see… the curve flattening a little bit.