UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that he owes his life to the staff of Britain’s state-run National Health Service, in his first comments since being released from intensive care for treatment for COVID-19.
Last Sunday, PM Johnson was admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital on the advice of his doctor, after continuing to have a cough and high temperature 10 days after testing positive for the virus
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The Prime Minister was given oxygen before being taken to intensive care on Monday.
The comments were released to journalists and confirmed by his office on Sunday.
Johnson was back on his feet by Friday, taking short walks between periods of rest, in what his office described as the early stage of recovery.
Earlier on Tuesday, Cabinet Minister Michael Gove said, “The prime minister has received some oxygen support,”
The Cabinet Minister further said: “The doctors, the nurses and the other staff there will be making appropriate medical decisions and they have our full support in the amazingly important work that they do.”
The country’s COVID-19 death toll neared 10,000 on Saturday, the fifth highest national number globally, after officials reported another 917 hospital deaths.
In its most recent official update on Johnson’s condition, Downing Street said he “continues to make very good progress”.
Boris Johnson is the most high-profile world leader to contract the virus. His pregnant partner, Carrie Symonds, said she has been ill with symptoms for a week but was now recovering.