BORIS Johnson is “responding to treatment” as he remains in a stable condition in the intensive care unit where he is being treated for coronavirus, Downing Street has said.
The update on the Prime Minister’s condition came as the UK recorded its highest number of Covid-19 deaths in a day with a rise of 938 from Monday into Tuesday.
At least 7097 patients have now died in UK hospitals after testing positive for Covid-19 as of 5pm on Tuesday, the Department of Health said.
Johnson’s official spokesman said the Prime Minister continued to be in “good spirits” yesterday after spending his third night in St Thomas’s Hospital in London and two nights in intensive care.
READ MORE: True extent of Scottish Covid-19 deaths is revealed as new recording method begins
He was said to no longer be working while following the advice of doctors and receiving just the “standard oxygen treatment” and “breathing without any other assistance”.
When asked about further specifics about his condition or treatment, the spokesman said the update includes all the information the PM’s medical team “considers to be clinically relevant”.
As the Government prepares to review the restrictions imposed across the UK, Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said the lockdown will not end in Wales next week.
“We will not throw away the gains we have made and the lives we have saved by abandoning our efforts just as they begin to bear fruit,” he added.
With the death toll across the UK continuing to rise, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab again chaired the daily Covid-19 meeting yesterday morning as he deputises for Johnson.
Asked if anyone has been in contact with the Prime Minister, his spokesman said: “The PM is not working, he’s in intensive care, he has the ability to contact those that he needs to, he’s following the advice of his doctors at all times.”
Meanwhile, Number 10 said the three-week review of the lockdown will take place “on or around” this Monday, the date Johnson committed to when he made the announcement.
The PM’s spokesman urged the public to “stick with it” at the “critical time” and highlighted the Government’s key advisers having said it was too early to say when the pandemic would reach its peak.
As the drive to boost care capacity continues, Number 10 said the second NHS Nightingale Hospital will be opened on Friday at the NEC in Birmingham. It follows the first of the temporary hospitals, at the ExCel centre in London, taking patients yesterday. Temporary facilities are expected to open in Glasgow and Manchester in the coming weeks.
In a further development, the WHO’s regional director Dr Hans Kluge warned any easing of restrictions required “very careful consideration” as he warned progress in Europe remained “extremely fragile”.
Scotland is in lockdown. Shops are closing and newspaper sales are falling fast. It’s no exaggeration to say that the future of The National is at stake. Please consider supporting us through this with a digital subscription from just £2 for 2 months by following this link: www.thenational.scot/subscribe. Thanks – and stay safe.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel