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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was making “very good progress” on Saturday in his recovery from coronavirus hospital, authorities said, as the country’s death toll from the disease approached the grim 10,000 milestone.
The 55-year-old leader was spending his second full day of intensive care at St Thomas’ Hospital in London, where he was able to take short walks between rest periods, according to Downing Street.
“The prime minister continues to progress very well,” said a 10th spokeswoman.
The news of its improvement contrasts with the latest official statistics showing that Britain recorded nearly 1,000 daily deaths from COVID-19 for the second day in a row, one of the worst rates worldwide.
Johnson is the highest-profile leader of the coronavirus, and his hospitalization is unprecedented for a British prime minister during a national emergency in modern times.
He was admitted on Sunday for persistent cough and high temperature 10 days after isolating himself with the virus. A day later he was transferred to the intensive care unit as his condition worsened.
The conservative leader left the unit Thursday night with “very good humor” and greeting staff “in appreciation,” his spokesman said.
The Mail on Sunday newspaper reported that Johnson’s friends had revealed that he was close to death while in intensive care and said he owed his life to the hospital’s medical team.
It is unclear when he could be discharged from the hospital and how quickly he would return to work once he was away.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been Johnson’s deputy.
The prime minister’s spokesman stressed on Friday that his recovery was “at an early stage” and that he would only act “on the advice of his medical team.”
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