Boris Johnson Running UK from Hospital While on 'Oxygen Treatment' for COVID-19
British PM risking own health by carrying on 'like his hero Winston Churchill'
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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is continuing to run the country despite being hospitalized and placed on a ventilator for "oxygen treatment" for his persisting COVID-19 symptoms, according to reports.
The PM has reportedly ignored warnings he is risking his own health by carrying on "like his hero Winston Churchill."
Coronavirus-hit Johnson is undergoing tests in hospital Monday after he was dramatically admitted to St. Thomas's, near Downing Street, on Sunday evening.
Johnson is reportedly resisting calls to hand over the reins of the UK's fight against the disease while he recovers from the deadly Chinese virus himself.
The prime minister was hospitalized after doctors became concerned his symptoms have still not subsided 10 days after testing positive.
Downing Street has insisted Mr. Johnson remains in full control of the government's response, despite remaining in hospital with no definite timeframe for being discharged.
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Mr. Johnson is thought to have been given oxygen treatment, with claims he had "risked his health" by keeping up a frantic work rate, according to the Daily Mail.
One MP suggested that he was too keen to emulate his hero, Winston Churchill and should rest, the outlet added.
However, his effective deputy Dominic Raab is chairing the daily coronavirus crisis committee meeting this morning, and the PM will clearly not be playing the same role as usual.
In a Twitter video posted on Friday from quarantine in No11, where he has been in self-isolation, an exhausted-looking Mr. Johnson revealed he was still suffering from a high temperature.
Another quick update from me on our campaign against #coronavirus.
— Boris Johnson #StayHomeSaveLives (@BorisJohnson) April 3, 2020
You are saving lives by staying at home, so I urge you to stick with it this weekend, even if we do have some fine weather.#StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/4GHmJhxXQ0
Experts say there is a risk of pneumonia when a temperature lasts more than a week.
There have been claims that Mr. Johnson has been coughing heavily during conference calls.
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said Mr. Johnson had been "working incredibly hard" and said he hoped he would be back in Downing Street soon - but did not rule out him being forced to stay in for longer.
Health minister Nadine Dorries - the first MP to test positive for coronavirus, but now recovered - suggested the PM needs to "sleep and recover."
Foreign Office minister James Duddridge said Mr. Johnson must now "let others do the heavy lifting."
Cabinet minister Michael Gove's wife Sarah Vine delivered a furious rebuke to those who had been demanding Mr. Johnson keep working, saying: "I hope you are happy now. He's in hospital."
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One Tory MP told the Telegraph Mr. Johnson should stop trying to live up to Churchill's example during the Second World War and instead let another Cabinet minister take charge of the national efforts to fight the virus.
The MP said: "I hear that the number of hours that he is able to work, he is finding frustrating.
"You don't hold the camera up and look grim - it is not going to inspire the nation.
"Unfortunately, he has written too many books on Churchill and wants to be the guy."
Sunday was another turbulent day for the UK amid the coronavirus crisis:
- Humiliated Nicola Sturgeon has admitted the effort to combat coronavirus has been damaged after she was forced to accept the resignation of Scotland's chief medical officer for flouting her own lockdown rules;
- The Queen has hailed the sacrifice of frontline NHS workers battling the virus in a rare televised address that moved the nation as she praised the resolve of the British people to stay at home telling them: 'We'll meet again';
- The number of cases rose 5,903 to 47,806 and the number of deaths climbed by 621 to 4,934;
- Worrying figures showed the UK's coronavirus epidemic was set to overtake that suffered by France and Italy;
- Health Secretary Matt Hancock threatened to revoke the right to exercise outdoors if people continued to flout social distancing measures;
- A 54-year-old from Essex became the first midwife to die with coronavirus in England.
