UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has coronavirus, has been taken to intensive care https://t.co/hQClxR7lRt
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) April 6, 2020
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been taken into intensive care in hospital with coronavirus.
He has asked Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to deputise for him, a No 10 spokesman said.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, is a Brexit hyper-supporter who has a history of offensive comments and actions. The reason that Raab has been selected as the “designated survivor” is because there is no formal chain of succession in case of emergency established in law for the British government. Largely because successive prime ministers have been unwilling to see a formal chain of succession in case of emergency established in law.
10 Downing Street’s real lord and master has issued a statement:
Boris Johnson is being treated in intensive care. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time. I know the brilliant NHS staff will do everything they can for him.
— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) April 6, 2020
Update at 3:35 PM EST
Here’s the update from The BBC:
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been moved to intensive care in hospital after his coronavirus symptoms “worsened”, Downing Street has said.
Mr Johnson has asked Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to deputise “where necessary”, a spokesman added.
The prime minister, 55, was admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital in London with “persistent symptoms” on Sunday.
The spokesman said he was moved on the advice of his medical team and is receiving “excellent care”.
A statement read: “Since Sunday evening, the prime minister has been under the care of doctors at St Thomas’ Hospital, in London, after being admitted with persistent symptoms of coronavirus.
“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.”
It continued: “The PM is receiving excellent care, and thanks all NHS staff for their hard work and dedication.”
Open thread!