Following denials, 10 Downing St confirms Boris Johnson has been moved to ICU

After being admitted to a hospital with persistent coronavirus symptoms, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was on Monday moved to intensive care on the advice of his medical team as his condition continued to worsen, a spokesperson for 10 Downing Street said. The official statement read: “The prime minister has been under the care of doctors at St Thomas’ Hospital, in London, after being admitted with persistent symptoms of coronavirus.”

“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,” it added.

Since Johnson, 55, was moved to the ICU at St Thomas’ Hospital in London, UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab has taken charge. There was an “incredibly strong team spirit” behind the prime minister, Raab was quoted in a report by the BBC. Earlier, the PM’s aides had consistently denied any deterioration in his health. Johnson himself tweeted earlier on Monday that he was in ‘good spirits’ and was at the hospital for ‘routine tests’.  His symptoms included a high temperature and a cough.

Johnson had earlier said that with mild symptoms, he has tested positive for the ailment. Prince Charles, too, tested positive for Corona Virus and was self-isolating in a Scottish retreat.

According to the BBC report, the number of coronavirus hospital deaths in the UK reached 5,373 – an increase of 439 in a day. The report also quoted the Department of Health and Social Care saying  that there were now 51,608 confirmed coronavirus cases.