British Prime Minister Boris Johnson Discharged from Hospital
UPDATE 4/12:
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been discharged from the hospital on Sunday, according to the BBC.
Johnson was admitted last week as a “precautionary step” after testing positive and showing “persistent” symptoms of the coronavirus. The prime minister was moved to intensive care on Monday but was removed after his health improved on Thursday.
Soon after his release, Johnson tweeted a video thanking the National Health Service for saving his life, adding, “It’s hard to find words to express my debt.”
It is hard to find the words to express my debt to the NHS for saving my life.
The efforts of millions of people across this country to stay home are worth it. Together we will overcome this challenge, as we have overcome so many challenges in the past. #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/HK7Ch8BMB5
— Boris Johnson #StayHomeSaveLives (@BorisJohnson) April 12, 2020
Downing Street said that Johnson will continue to recover at home with no timetable announced for returning to work.
“The PM has been discharged from the hospital to continue his recovery, at Chequers,” a spokesperson said. “On the advice of his medical team, the PM will not be immediately returning to work. He wishes to thank everybody at St Thomas’ for the brilliant care he has received.”
UPDATE 4/7: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been moved to intensive care on Monday, according to the BBC.
A statement from Downing Street said, “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.”
Original story below:
Ten days after falling ill with coronavirus, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been admitted to the hospital for tests. According to Downing Street, this is a “precautionary step” as Johnson is still showing symptoms of the virus.
“The Prime Minister thanks NHS staff for all of their incredible hard work and urges the public to continue to follow the Government’s advice to stay at home, protect the [National Health System] and save lives,” a spokesperson said.
According to the Sunday Times, some government officials believe Johnson had been hiding how bad his symptoms were. “He is coughing and sputtering through these video calls,” a participant said. “He looks dreadful.”
Johnson drew criticism for his initial response to the virus, recommending the United Kingdom essentially continue to function as normal, hoping the population would eventually reach herd immunity. But following a report from the Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine that said the state-run National Health Service would soon be overwhelmed with sick and dying patients, Johnson switched tacts and called for more restrictive measures but falling short of a mandated stay-at-home order.