Boris Johnson hospitalised following persistent coronavirus symptoms

The Prime Minister was admitted on Sunday, 10 days after falling ill from the virus

Boris Johnson coronavirus
Boris Johnson coronavirus

The Prime Minister was admitted on Sunday, 10 days after falling ill from the virus

It's no secret Boris Johnson currently has one of the hardest jobs in the world - and now the prime minister has to complete his difficult day job from a hospital bed, after suffering from persistent coronavirus symptoms.

On Sunday April 5 the Conservative leader was admitted to an NHS hospital, 10 days after testing positive for the virus.

In a statement, the Downing Street spokeswoman said, 'On the advice of his doctor, the prime minister has tonight been admitted to hospital for tests.

'This is a precautionary step, as the prime minister continues to have persistent symptoms of coronavirus ten days after testing positive for the virus.'

She added, 'The prime minister thanks NHS staff for all of their incredible hard work and urges the public to continue to follow the government's advice to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.'

Today, the PM, 55, remains in hospital with a high temperature. Dr Sarah Jarvis, a GP, told the BBC that during his time in hospital, he would most likely have his chest X-rayed and his lungs scanned.

It will be extremely difficult for the prime minister to run the country from a hospital bed, as let's be honest, it's pretty hard to bring energy and focus to work when you're not feeling well.

But Robert Jenrick, the communities secretary, said Johnson was continuing to run the country from an NHS hospital, despite concerns the prime minister has been working rather than resting over the last week.

Most coronavirus patients are in hospital for more than a week on average. However, Jenrick told BBC Breakfast, 'We hope that as a result of these tests [the prime minister] will be able to come back to Downing Street as soon as possible. He's been working extremely hard leading the government and being constantly updated. That's going to continue.'

Jenrick went on to say: 'I'm sure this is very frustrating for him, for somebody like Boris who wants to be hands [on] running the government from the front, but nonetheless he's still very much in charge of the government.'

Meanwhile Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, who the nation has watched join Boris and Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Jenny Harries give daily press briefings on the status of Covid-19, tweeted:

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Some members of the public disagreed with the decision to allow Boris to continue running the country during this unprecedented time. @AyoCaesar tweeted earlier today, 'I don't think Boris Johnson should have to govern from a hospital bed - like any worker, he should have the proper time to rest and recover from an awful illness.'

We are inclined to agree - and wish the prime minister a quick and full recovery.

Olivia – who rebranded as Liv a few years ago – is a freelance digital writer at Marie Claire UK. She recently swapped guaranteed sunshine and a tax-free salary in Dubai for London’s constant cloud and overpriced public transport. During her time in the Middle East, Olivia worked for international titles including Cosmopolitan, HELLO! and Grazia. She transitioned from celebrity weekly magazine new! in London, where she worked as the publication’s Fitness & Food editor. Unsurprisingly, she likes fitness and food, and also enjoys hoarding beauty products and recycling.