UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been moved to intensive care in hospital after his coronavirus symptoms “worsened”, according to the Downing Street.

“The Prime Minister has been under the care of doctors at St Thomas’ Hospital in London, after being admitted with persistent symptoms of coronavirus,” the BBC quoted a Downing Street statement as saying on Monday night.

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“Over the course of (Monday) 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 Prime Minister is receiving excellent care, and thanks all NHS staff for their hard work and dedication.”

Johnson has asked Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to deputise “where necessary”, a Downing Street spokesman added.

Johnson, 55, had on March 27 disclosed that he has tested positive for novel Coronavirus, but added that he will continue to discharge his duties from self-isolation.

Taking to Twitter, Johnson had said, “Over the last 24 hours I have developed mild symptoms and tested positive for coronavirus”.

However, on Friday, the Downing Street confirmed that Boris Johnson was still showing symptoms of novel Coronavirus — high fever — even as he was just a day short of completing the seven-day quarantine period.

Downing Street said in a statement on Sunday: “On the advice of his doctor, the Prime Minister has tonight been admitted to hospital for tests.

PM 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.

Downing Street said at the time of Johnson’s announcement that Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab would take charge if the prime minister was incapacitated.

Meanwhile, some ministers in the Johnson government and MPs have also tested positive for COVID-19.

Hancock returned to work on Friday after a week at home following his positive test for COVID-19. The chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, has also displayed symptoms.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also wished him a “speedy and full recovery”, and nd Mayor of London Sadiq Khan tweeted that St Thomas’ Hospital had “some of the finest medical staff in the world” and that the Prime Minister “couldn’t be in safer hands”.

The news about Johnson’s health came as the number of coronavirus hospital deaths in the UK reached 5,373 – an increase of 439 in a day.