British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s health has improved to the point that he has been transferred out of the intensive care unit at the hospital where he is being treated for the COVID-19 virus.
Johnson, 55, was hospitalized on Sunday after being diagnosed with the coronavirus. He has spent the past three nights in the ICU and is now improving, according to his spokesman. A Thursday statement from Downing Street confirmed that Johnson has been moved back to the regular ward of the hospital.
“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,” the statement read.
The prime minister had been receiving a “standard oxygen treatment” while in the ICU of London’s St. Thomas’ Hospital.
“[Johnson] had a good night and continues to improve,” the spokesman said. “He’s in good spirits.”
U.K. Treasury chief Rishi Sunak said at a Wednesday news conference that the prime minister has improved to the point where he is “sitting up in bed and engaging positively with the clinical team.”
“The news about the prime minister reminds us how indiscriminate this virus is,” Sunak said.
President Trump reacted to the news that Johnson was released from the ICU shortly after the information was made public.
“Great News: Prime Minister Boris Johnson has just been moved out of Intensive Care. Get well Boris!!!” Trump tweeted.
Great News: Prime Minister Boris Johnson has just been moved out of Intensive Care. Get well Boris!!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 9, 2020
Since Johnson is indisposed and the country is on lockdown, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been temporarily deputized to lead the U.K. government “where necessary.”
Prior to getting infected, the prime minister had a cavalier attitude about the pandemic. Following an early March visit to a hospital treating coronavirus patients, Johnson said he “shook hands with everybody” in the building.
The United Kingdom has had more than 61,000 confirmed cases of the virus and at least 7,111 deaths, according to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University.
