COVID-19: UK PM Boris Johnson thanks NHS staff, says he ‘owes his life' to them

As Britain Prime Minister Boris Johnson continues to recover from coronavirus after spending three nights in intensive care, he reportedly said that he owes his life to the NHS staff for treating him. Johnson, in a statement, thanked the medic at St Thomas’ Hospital in London. According to international media reports, the 55-year-old is making good progress and had been watching films in his hospital bed. 

While updating about Johnson’s health, a Downing Street spokesperson also said that the UK PM is able to do short distance walks, between periods of rest, as part of the care he is receiving. The official further also added that Johnson also spoke to the doctors and thanked the clinical team for their services. Johnson also took to Twitter the thanks to the ‘brilliant NHS staff’. 

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Johnson was moved out of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on April 9 and is now gradually recovering. The UK PM had tested positive for the novel coronavirus on March 27 and he announced the news via a post on Twitter where he mentioned that he had developed mild symptoms of COVID-19 infection such as persistent cough and fever. Thereafter, he took a test on the advice of his Chief Medical Officer, which came out as positive. 

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‘He must rest up’ 

After being shifted out from ICU, Boris Johnson's father, Stanley Johnson, called up his son and asked him to rest up. Talking to the media, Stanley said that the whole family was ‘tremendously grateful’ that Boris had been moved out of the intensive care. Stanley reportedly also said that he thinks that his son’s illness has got the whole country to realise that this is a ‘serious event’. 

He further added, “He must rest up He took one for the team and we've got to make sure we play properly now”. 

Meanwhile, as the UK recorded over 78,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus, Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, said it’s ‘too early’ to think about ending the lockdown. The initial lockdown of UK ends on April 13, however, with nearly 10,000 fatalities and British Prime Minister contracting the deadly disease, the government might announce an extension. Britain is bracing itself for more deaths from the novel virus in the upcoming weeks. 

(With PTI inputs) 

(Image source: AP) 

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