UK may end up with Europe’s worst COVID-19 death toll – study warns

During Wednesday’s Downing Street daily press briefing, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s condition is improving and remains in intensive care.

“He has been sitting up in bed and engaging positively with the clinical team,” said Sunak.

Johnson was admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital in London with “persistent symptoms” on Sunday night, 10 days after testing positive for COVID-19. He was moved into intensive care on Monday night after his coronavirus symptoms worsened.

The prime minister is receiving standard oxygen treatment and breathing without assistance, a Downing Street spokesperson said earlier Wednesday.

During the press briefing, Professor Angela McLean, deputy chief scientific adviser, said that the number of new COVID-19 cases is not accelerating out of control in Britain.

Only a slight increase in patients in critical care was witnessed over the past 24 hours, according to McLean.

Meanwhile, Sunak acknowledged that the coronavirus pandemic could have a “significant impact” on the British economy, revealing that there would be an emergency COBRA meeting on Thursday to discuss “the approach” to reviewing lockdown measures.