UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson out of intensive care

British PM Boris Johnson has been moved into a general ward at London’s St Thomas’ Hospital after three days of high concern.

British PM Boris Johnson has been moved from intensive care to a general ward as he recovers from COVID-19. Picture: AFP

Boris Johnson has been moved out of intensive care and into a general ward at London’s St Thomas’ Hospital after three days of high concern over his coronavirus fight.

The welcome news has buoyed the United Kingdom and comes just half an hour before the weekly “clap for carers”, where neighbourhoods bang pots and cheer for a minute for all of frontline medical staff.

People across the UK take part in the third "Clap for Carers" event and show their appreciation for NHS workers and other staff on the front line fighting the coronavirus pandemic

Latest updates: https://t.co/p4uza3JHxk pic.twitter.com/FbV0WUxWJX

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) April 9, 2020

A Downing Street spokesperson said on Thursday evening (UK time): “The Prime Minister has been moved this evening from intensive care back to the ward, where he will receive close monitoring during the early phase of his recovery. He is in extremely good spirits.”

Meanwhile Britain’s caretaker leader, Dominic Raab, has confirmed the nation’s lockdown measures will be reviewed at the end of next week.

Johnson, pictured on April 6.

“Let’s not undo the gains we have made, we must not give the coronavirus a second chance to kill more people and to hurt our country,” Mr Raab said, shortly before the pleasing news that Mr Johnson had been moved out intensive care.

👇The news we all wanted to hear 👍

Thank you to all the NHS staff helping the country and the PM to beat #coronavirus. Together we can all do our bit by staying home and protecting the NHS #StayHomeSaveLives https://t.co/GJp49HELhr

— Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) April 9, 2020

Mr Raab warned social isolation measures would remain for the short term.

“We need evidence that clearly shows we have moved beyond the peak,” he said.

There were 881 deaths recorded in the past 24 hours in the UK, bringing the total deaths to 7978, but scientists said the death rate was levelling off and there was capacity in the hospital and intensive care system.

“Deaths continue to rise, this will not change for a few weeks … and we need to see this go down as well,” chief scientific officer Sir Patrick Vallance said.

4/5 - COVID-19 patients in critical care pic.twitter.com/VugyEIJfWz

— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) April 9, 2020

The rate of serious complications from coronavirus has also slowed, from doubling of cases every three days several weeks ago to doubling every week at the moment.

Messages of support for the NHS (National Health Service) are seen in windows of a building close to St Thomas' Hospital in central London where Britain's prime minister Boris Johnson has been moved out of intensive care. Picture: AFP

Mr Raab said at 10 Downing Street’s daily press conference: “At this stage the government is continuing to gather relevant data about social distancing measures, early signs seeing impact but too early to say that conclusively, we will keep measures in place under review. We don’t expect to be able to say more on this until the end of next week.”

2/5 - New UK cases of #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/5s0q4FSWTA

— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) April 9, 2020

One of the factors being considered is the current rate of infection already in the wider community, which Sir Patrick believed to be in the order of “single digits, or just above single digits”. That could translate to six to eight million Britons having the virus, many of them asymptomatic or with mild symptoms.

Stay home. Stop the spread. #Coronavirus #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/5j63MLLxqA

— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) April 9, 2020