LONDON – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was moved to intensive care on Monday after his coronavirus symptoms worsened and he has asked Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to deputise, Downing Street said.
Johnson was admitted to hospital on Sunday night and had been undergoing tests after suffering persistent coronavirus symptoms for more than 10 days, but the government had earlier said he was in good spirits and still in charge.
“Over the course of this 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,” a spokesman for his office said.
British foreign minister Dominic Raab is designated to take over leadership of the country if Prime Minister Boris Johnson, currently ill in hospital with persistent symptoms of the coronavirus, is unable to fulfil his role.
“The PM has asked Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is the First Secretary of State, to deputise for him where necessary.”
Johnson, 55, tested positive for the virus on March 26.
The United Kingdom coronavirus death toll rose by 439 to 5,373 people as of 1600 GMT on April 5, the health ministry said on Monday.
As of 0800 GMT on April 6, a total of 208,837 people had been tested of which 51,608 were positive, it said.