U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's condition "continues to improve" but he remains in intensive care with coronavirus, his office has said.
A spokesperson for Johnson, 55, said the prime minister is "in good spirits" after spending a third night in the intensive care unit at St Thomas' Hospital in London.
"The Prime Minister had a good night and continues to improve in intensive care at St. Thomas' Hospital. He is in good spirits," the spokesperson said in a statement sent to Newsweek.
Johnson is still receiving oxygen treatment, according to ITV News. He was admitted to hospital on Sunday after he continued to display "persistent" symptoms 10 days after he tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
He was transferred to intensive care after his condition deteriorated on Monday. Foreign secretary Dominic Raab assumed the role of government leadership in his stead.
On Wednesday, Johnson's office published a letter from the prime minister that was being sent to every household in the U.K. urging them to follow the government's advice to stay at home to protect health workers and save lives during the pandemic.
"It's important for me to level with you – we know things will get worse before they get better," Johnson wrote in the letter. "But we are making the right preparations, and the more we all follow the rules, the fewer lives will be lost and the sooner life can return to normal."
President Donald Trump has offered Johnson his best wishes and also claimed to have asked U.S. pharmaceutical companies working on treatments for COVID-19 to help with the prime minister's treatment.
"We'll see if we can be of help. We've contacted all of Boris' doctors, and we'll see what is going to take place, but they are ready to go," Trump said on Monday.
A day earlier, he started the White House coronavirus briefing by offering his best wishes to Johnson and saying he was sure he would recover.
"I want to express our nation's well wishes to Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he wages his own personal fight with the virus," Trump said.
"All Americans are praying for him. He's a friend of mine. He's a great gentleman and a great leader... as you know, he was brought to the hospital today, but I'm hopeful and sure that he's going to be fine. He's a strong man, strong person."
This infographic, provided by Statista, shows the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases around the world as of April 9.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advice on Using Face Coverings to Slow Spread of COVID-19
- CDC recommends wearing a cloth face covering in public where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
- A simple cloth face covering can help slow the spread of the virus by those infected and by those who do not exhibit symptoms.
- Cloth face coverings can be fashioned from household items. Guides are offered by the CDC. (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html)
- Cloth face coverings should be washed regularly. A washing machine will suffice.
- Practice safe removal of face coverings by not touching eyes, nose, and mouth, and wash hands immediately after removing the covering.
World Health Organization advice for avoiding spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
Hygiene advice
- Clean hands frequently with soap and water, or alcohol-based hand rub.
- Wash hands after coughing or sneezing; when caring for the sick; before, during and after food preparation; before eating; after using the toilet; when hands are visibly dirty; and after handling animals or waste.
- Maintain at least 1 meter (3 feet) distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid touching your hands, nose and mouth. Do not spit in public.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or bent elbow when coughing or sneezing. Discard the tissue immediately and clean your hands.
Medical advice
- Avoid close contact with others if you have any symptoms.
- Stay at home if you feel unwell, even with mild symptoms such as headache and runny nose, to avoid potential spread of the disease to medical facilities and other people.
- If you develop serious symptoms (fever, cough, difficulty breathing) seek medical care early and contact local health authorities in advance.
- Note any recent contact with others and travel details to provide to authorities who can trace and prevent spread of the disease.
- Stay up to date on COVID-19 developments issued by health authorities and follow their guidance.
Mask and glove usage
- Healthy individuals only need to wear a mask if taking care of a sick person.
- Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing.
- Masks are effective when used in combination with frequent hand cleaning.
- Do not touch the mask while wearing it. Clean hands if you touch the mask.
- Learn how to properly put on, remove and dispose of masks. Clean hands after disposing of the mask.
- Do not reuse single-use masks.
- Regularly washing bare hands is more effective against catching COVID-19 than wearing rubber gloves.
- The COVID-19 virus can still be picked up on rubber gloves and transmitted by touching your face.
