Coronavirus: Boris Johnson in hospital but ‘hand on tiller’

Britain’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic has been rocked with the hospital admission of Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Boris Johnson has appeared feverish and increasingly unwell in morale boosting video messages. Picture: AFP

Britain’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic has been rocked with the hospital admission of Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Mr Johnson, 55, was taken to hospital on Sunday night still suffering from a high fever, prompting a drop in the pound amid Britain’s political uncertainty.

The development came almost simultaneously with a rare broadcast from the Queen, 93, who reassured the Commonwealth that the difficult days would eventually pass.

“We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again,’’ she said.

Italy, one of Europe’s worst-hit countries, appears to have got on top of the virus with a distinct downward trend in numbers of deaths, serious cases requiring intensive care and new infections.

But in Scotland, the Chief Medical Officer was forced to resign after failing to follow her own advice to stay at home, and was photographed at her country retreat on two weekends.

Downing Street said Mr Johnson “continues to have persistent symptoms of coronavirus” and was taken to a London hospital on Sunday night as a “precautionary step” on the advice of his doctor.

“The Prime Minister remains in charge of the government and urged people to follow its social-distancing advice,’’ his spokeswoman said.

She said Mr Johnson would stay in hospital as long as needed. The Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State, Dominic Raab, has taken over chairing the daily emergency briefing of cabinet to lead the government response to the pandemic, although Downing Street insisted Mr Johnson would remain in charge.

Mr Johnson was first reported to have developed coronavirus symptoms 10 days ago and in subsequent morale-boosting video messages he has appeared feverish and increasingly unwell.

The Prime Minister’s health has become a concern because, as in many acute coronavirus cases, it appears patients appear to be recovering around a week after having the virus before being hit with a sudden and severe bout of pneumonia and breathing difficulties.

Doctors have suggested Mr Johnson will be tested for oxygen saturations, and other checks would be conducted on his liver, kidney and heart and lungs.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who has recovered from a mild bout of COVID-19, said of Mr Johnson hours before his hospital admission: “He’s OK. I’ve been talking to him every day, several times a day … he’s very much got his hand on the tiller. But he’s still got a temperature.’’

Mr Johnson has been isolating alone at 11 Downing Street, his government residence while his pregnant fiancee, Carrie Symonds, 38, moved to the Prime Minister’s rural retreat, Chequers, in Buckinghamshire.

Scotland Chief Medical Officer Catherine Calderwood resigned following a furore that she had ignored her own official advice and travelled to her country home in Fyfe on two weekends.

Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon initially refused to accept her offer of resignation but was forced to do so after the controversy threatened to engulf the handling of the pandemic. Dr Calderwood said her visits to her second home “were not legitimate reasons to be out of my home’’.

Italian officials are preparing the next stage of relaxing social-isolation measures, which will include the wearing of face masks in public, after encouraging signs the country’s medical system was getting on top of the coronavirus. On Sunday there were 525 deaths, the lowest daily toll since March 19. Total deaths were 15,887.

“The curve has reached a plateau and begun to descend,” said Silvio Brusaferro, head of Italy’s health institute.

“It is a result that we have to achieve day after day. If this is confirmed, we need to start thinking about the second phase.”