Boris Johnson has spent the night in intensive care after his coronavirus symptoms worsened, leaving him struggling to breathe.
The prime minister was initially admitted to a London hospital on Sunday evening, but his health deteriorated.
Johnson was moved into intensive care at 7pm on Monday after being given oxygen – and Downing Street said he was suffering from “persistent” symptoms of COVID-19, including a cough and a high temperature.
The 55-year-old tested positive for coronavirus 11 days ago, and his worsening condition is a severe blow to the government.
Even if he makes a speedy recovery, he is likely to be unable to resume work for some time.
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab will be leading the UK government response to the coronavirus while Johnson is in hospital.
In a dramatic announcement just after 8pm last night, a Number 10 spokesman said: “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.
“The PM has asked Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is the first secretary of state, to deputise for him where necessary. The PM is receiving excellent care, and thanks all NHS staff for their hard work and dedication.”
Since being diagnosed with coronavirus symptoms on 26 March, the prime minister has attempted to play down the seriousness of his illness – posting videos even though he has looked unwell.
Before moving into intensive care, he posted an optimistic message on Twitter, writing on Monday: “Last night, on the advice of my doctor, I went into hospital for some routine tests as I’m still experiencing coronavirus symptoms.
“I’m in good spirits and keeping in touch with my team, as we work together to fight this virus and keep everyone safe.”
In Europe, there are indications that the pace of infections in hard-hit Spain and Italy is slowing, although the death toll continues to rise.
In the United States, the outbreak is still growing with the death toll at least 10,000 and more than 366,000 confirmed cases.
Globally, the number of people diagnosed with the virus now exceeds 1.3 million.
More than 74,500 people have died while more than 276,515 have recovered, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
