Boris Johnson moved to intensive care after being hospitalized with coronavirus

(Image credit: Matt Dunham - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

last updated 7 April 2020

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was moved to an intensive care unit on Monday after his COVID-19 symptoms worsened.

Johnson was hospitalized on Sunday, 10 days after testing positive for the novel coronavirus. A spokesperson described this as a "precautionary step" after he continued to experience "persistent symptoms," and Johnson tweeted Monday that he went to the hospital for "some routine tests." Upon announcing he tested positive for COVID-19 on March 27, Johnson described his symptoms as "mild," saying they included a fever and a cough.

Downing Street announced on Monday afternoon that Johnson is now in intensive care at St. Thomas' Hospital, saying, "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." Johnson has also asked Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab "to deputise for him where necessary," Downing Street said.

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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.

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