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The U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson was receiving “standard oxygen treatment” as he was moved into intensive care on April 6 due to his coronavirus symptoms worsening. 

55-year-old Boris Johnson was the first leader in the world to test positive for the virus on March 27. Currently, Dominic Raab, Johnson’s foreign secretary, is sitting in as the U.K.’s prime minister. Raab has support of government officials and is running the U.K. from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Johnson is stable and responding well to treatment. He does not have pneumonia and “remains in good spirits,” according to Raab. He  was brought to the hospital as a precautionary measure since he was suffering from a cough and a fever 10 days after testing positive for COVID-19. He  was allowed to leave intensive care on April 9 and was moved back to a ward at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London.

Many other British government officials have contracted the virus. Matt Hancock (Johnson’s health secretary), Chris Whitty (his chief medical advisor) and Johnson’s pregnant fiancee, Carrie Symonds, are also recovering from the virus symptoms.

Politicians from around the world have sent their support and well wishes to Johnson in fighting against the coronavirus. Among these are Speaker of the U.K.’s House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle, former Prime Minister Theresa May, President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and so many more.

As of April 9, the U.K. has 60,733 coronavirus cases with 7,097 deaths and 135 people fully recovered. The country is expecting to reach its peak within the next week which leaves many citizens concerned about Johnson’s absence due to hospitalization. As Johnson continues to rest, he must slowly assimilate into the rapidly evolving coronavirus information that government officials are expected to respond to immediately. Even though Johnson was able to leave intensive care, Britain still faces weeks of lockdown.

Government officials around the world are being faced with a difficult decision on how long they should be extending the social distancing orders. Health experts are saying if politicians lift the restrictions too soon, it could cause an influx in coronavirus cases and force a new lockdown to be needed. But officials are battling the negative implications lockdowns have on the economy and how these harsh restrictions will cause lasting damage to companies.

Britain’s National Institute of Economic and Social Research discovered that the current lockdown has caused the worst economic activity since 1921. They predicted that growth will decline by 10 percent each quarter if the restrictions continue into the summer.

There is no current information on when Johnson will be able to return to work. He was discharged from the hospital on April 12 and is now able to go on short walks. Johnson thanked the U.K.’s National Health Service in an emotional five-minute video for “saving his life.”

 

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