Coronavirus: Boris Johnson out of intensive care as condition improves

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been removed from intensive care, his office says.

In a statement Friday (NZT), a spokesman at 10, Downing Street said Johnson “was transferred from intensive care tonight back to the ward, where he will be closely monitored during the initial phase of his recovery.”

Johnson had been in intensive care for three days after his coronavirus symptoms worsened.

He tested positive for the virus two weeks ago and at first had only “mild” symptoms.

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His condition seemed to be improving in the last day or so.

Earlier in the day, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who has been deputy prime minister during key meetings, said Johnson was “taking positive steps forward.”

Raab told the British earlier that it was too early to ease restrictions on public activity imposed on March 23 to try to stem the spread of the virus.

The original restrictions were for three weeks, a period ending Monday. But after chairing a meeting of the government’s crisis committee, COBRA, Raab said no decision would be made about lifting the stay-at-home order and closing businesses “until the evidence clearly shows that we have moved beyond the peak “of the outbreak.

Raab said “we are beginning to see the impact of the sacrifices that we have all made, but the deaths continue to rise and we have not yet reached the peak of the virus.”

He said the government and its scientific experts would evaluate the evidence again next week.