Boris Johnson ‘had a good night and continues to improve’ in intensive care

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As hopes began to rise that the PM might be on the mend, Downing Street insisted he is still in “good spirits” after several days in hospital.

The PM is ‘improving’ in hospital, No10 said this lunchtime

No10 said today: “The PM had a good night and continues to improve in intensive care at St Thomas’ Hospital.

“He is in good spirits.”

The PM is still not doing any work in hospital and is still stable.

However, he is still having to receive oxygen treatment.

But he will not be going outside to clap for the NHS will millions of others tonight, No10 said.

Hie stand-in deputy Dominic Raab will do so in his place.

Boris is “sitting up in bed” and able to speak with hospital staff, the Chancellor revealed last night.

Rishi Sunak told reporters: “The PM remains in intensive care where his condition is improving.”

He has also been able to pass messages to his pregnant fiance, Carrie Symonds, who can’t be with him at his bedside.

Aides have stressed he is able to get in touch with anyone he needs to.

It’s not yet known whether he has access to his phones.

Boris was admitted to hospital on Sunday evening for routine tests after his coronavirus symptoms failed to get any better.

He still had a temperature and a cough despite being ill for a week.

On Monday night he was rushed to intensive care after he started to struggle to breathe, and was given oxygen treatment.

So far he has not needed a ventilator, but one is available for him should he get worse and need it.

The Times reported yesterday his fever has begun to fall.

Former minister Tobias Ellwood said this lunchtime: “The Prime Minister is mentally able to make decisions, he is accessible as well.

“If a PM is incapacitated in that way, they either resign or it’s covered up. We don’t do that any more.

“I have been given assurances that the decision making process can work in this difficult scenario.”

Boris posted videos of himself trying to reassure the nation he was OK last week
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is standing in for the PM

Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State Mr Raab will deputise for Boris today at an emergency COBRA meeting to talk about extending the lockdown next week.

And he will lead any Cabinet decisions that have to be taken about whether to tighten or relax measures.

No10 stressed: “The First Secretary of State will lead any cabinet decision making process.”

This morning Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden warned that more lockdown measures could be introduced if Brits don’t stick to rules to stay inside this Bank Holiday weekend.

He said the measures could be “enhanced” if they need to, in a firing shot to Brits thinking of getting out in the sun in the coming days.

It’s expected that the lockdown will be extended past the three week target in the coming days – because Britain is not yet over the worst of the virus.

Speaking this morning, Scottish First Minister Sturgeon said: “I don’t think there is any possibility, any likelihood of these lockdown measures being lifted immediately, or even imminently.

“I wouldn’t expect any change coming out of today’s Cobra meeting but we will see where the discussions take us.”

The number of new daily coronavirus infections in the UK