A member of medical staff takes a swab from a person in a car at an NHS coronavirus testing facility as the spread of COVID-19 continues, in Wolverhampton, UK, April 7, 2020 [File: Carl Recine/Reuters]
While British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s condition, suffering from a coronavirus infection, is improving in intensive care and he tries to recover, the situation for many others remained grave as the United Kingdom recorded its deadliest day since the epidemic began.
Total UK hospital deaths from COVID-19 rose by a record 938 in the last 24 hours to 7,097 as of 16:00 GMT on April 7, health officials said on Wednesday, as the number of cases rose to 60,733.
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Johnson, 55, was admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital on Sunday evening with a persistent high temperature and cough and was rushed to intensive care on Monday. He has received oxygen support but has not been put on a ventilator.
“Things are getting better for him,” his Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said on Thursday. “He’s stable, improving, sat up and engaged with medical staff.”
Meanwhile, Johnson’s government reviewed the most stringent shut down in peacetime history.
The UK is entering what scientists say is the deadliest phase of the outbreak, with deaths expected to continue to rise over the Easter weekend.
The government’s emergency response meeting, known as COBR, will on Thursday discuss how it should deal with a review on lockdown measures.
Ministers are expected to extend restrictive measures aimed at limiting the spread of infection.
Johnson’s designated deputy, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, will chair the meeting, but no final decision will be made at the meeting. London’s mayor and the Welsh government have said the lockdown would stay in place.
SOURCE:
News agencies
