Coronavirus in the UK: Boris Johnson out of intensive care

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson, infected with the new coronavirus, left intensive care this Thursday evening and his government has warned that preparations must be made for an extended confinement in the face of the worsening pandemic in the United Kingdom.

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" The Prime Minister has been transferred from intensive care to another department of the hospital, where he will be placed under close surveillance during the initial phase of his recovery, " his spokesman said in a statement. " His morale is extremely good ".

The hospitalization of the charismatic but divisive 55-year-old conservative leader on Sunday, ten days after being diagnosed with Covid-19 , then his transfer to intensive care on Monday evening had shocked the United Kingdom. The improvement in his condition is one of the few positive notes when this country sinks into the crisis of the new coronavirus, with daily human balance sheets among the highest in Europe.

Towards an extension of containment

The United Kingdom has recorded an additional 881 patient deaths, bringing the total to 7,978 in hospital, according to a daily report released Thursday by Foreign Minister Dominic Raab, who is currently serving as government chief .

Dominic Raab once again urged the British to respect confinement, which should be extended beyond the three weeks initially planned, in principle until next Monday, despite considerable economic and social cost. At the end of a government crisis meeting, by videoconference, on the future of the British strategy, he declared that an official decision would not be taken until " the end of next week ". It is " too early " to relax the social distancing measures in place, he warned, adding that this could only take place once the peak has been crossed, which is not expected for several weeks.

(With AFP)

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• Coronavirus
• Health and Medicine
• United Kingdom
• Boris Johnson