Queen being kept informed on PM Boris Johnson’s Covid-19 condition

The Queen is being given regular updates on the PM’s condition.

Mr Johnson was taken to ICU as a precaution should he require a ventilator, Downing Street has said.

The 55-year-old had been admitted to St Thomas’ hospital in central London on Sunday evening after testing positive for Covid-19 10 days ago.

Having been in hospital for tests and observation, his doctors advised that he be admitted to intensive care on Monday evening.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who last spoke to Mr Johnson on Saturday, will deputise for the PM.

In a statement recorded after Mr Johnson’s admission, Mr Raab said: “The Government’s business will continue.

“The Prime Minister is in safe hands with that brilliant team at St Thomas’ Hospital, and the focus of the Government will continue to be on making sure that the Prime Minister’s direction, all the plans for making sure that we can defeat coronavirus and can pull the country through this challenge, will be taken forward.”

A Number 10 spokesman said: “Over the course of this afternoon, the condition of the Prime Minister has worsened and, on the advice of his medical team, he has been moved to the intensive Care Unit at the hospital.”

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said on Monday morning that Mr Johnson had been taken to hospital on the advice of his doctor and as a “precaution”, and that it was not an emergency admission.

His move to intensive care came just a few hours after Mr Raab told a press briefing that the PM remained in charge of the Government despite remaining under observation.

Earlier on Monday afternoon, Mr Johnson tweeted: “Last night, on the advice of my doctor, I went into hospital for some routine tests as I’m still experiencing coronavirus symptoms. I’m in good spirits and keeping in touch with my team, as we work together to fight this virus and keep everyone safe.

“I’d like to say thank you to all the brilliant NHS staff taking care of me and others in this difficult time. You are the best of Britain.”

At the daily Number 10 news conference on Monday Mr Raab faced repeated questions as to how Mr Johnson could cope with demands of the premiership if he was sick enough to require hospital treatment.

Downing Street, which had previously described his symptoms as “mild”, switched to describing them as “persistent”.

They included a cough as well as a continuing high temperature, 10 days after he first tested positive.

Mr Raab said he had last spoken to the PM on Saturday - almost 48 hours before being sent to brief the nation about his well-being and efforts to tackle Covid-19.

Mr Johnson’s fiancée Carrie Symonds previously said she had been suffering Covid-19 symptoms, but is “on the mend”.

Ms Symonds, 32, who is expecting the couple’s first baby in early summer, said she was not tested for the virus.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock is already back at work after having tested positive for Coronavirus.

And Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty returned to work on Monday after developing symptoms and the Prime Minister’s chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, has also self isolated.