UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was admitted to the hospital ten days in to his coronavirus diagnosis. Reports emerged that Johnson ” has had to receive oxygen treatment to help his breathing.”
Said a Downing Street spokeswoman: “On the advice of his doctor, the prime minister has tonight been admitted to hospital for tests. This is a precautionary step, as the prime minister continues to have persistent symptoms of coronavirus 10 days after testing positive for the virus. The prime minister thanks NHS staff for all of their incredible hard work and urges the public to continue to follow the government’s advice to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.”
Johnson announced on March 27 that he had tested positive in a video posted to Twitter: “I want to bring you up to speed on something that’s happening today, which is that I’ve developed mild symptoms of the coronavirus. That’s to say a temperature and a persistent cough. And on the advice of the chief medical officer, I’ve taken a test. That has come out positive, so I’m working from home, I’m self-isolating, and that’s entirely the right thing to do. But be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fight back against coronavirus.”
Meanwhile, Queen Elizabeth II gave a rare video address on Sunday, attempting to comfort the British people.
NBC News reports: “The queen gives yearly Christmas messages but has given an address like this on only three previous occasions, according to the Associated Press. She delivered speeches after the Queen Mother’s death in 2002, before the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997, and at the time of the first Gulf War in 1991. In the speech on Sunday, the queen offered her support to the country and drew parallels with Britain’s struggle during World War II.”
