British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is in a London hospital 10 days after testing positive for the coronavirus.
A Downing Street spokesperson said late Sunday Johnson was admitted for more tests, calling his hospitalization a “precautionary step.”
“The Prime Minister thanks NHS (National Health Service) 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,” the spokesperson said.
Until now, Johnson has isolated himself in his apartment next door to his Downing Street office. Officials say he is still in full charge of the British government although Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will chair Monday's regular coronavirus briefing.
His pregnant fiancée, Carrie Symonds, says she is recovering from coronavirus symptoms, but said she did not get tested for the disease. She has been isolating herself separately from Johnson.
“Being pregnant with COVID-19 is obviously worrying. To other pregnant women, please do read and follow the most up to date guidance which I found to be reassuring,” she tweeted.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are no reported miscarriages or malformed fetuses in pregnant women who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Earlier Sunday, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth made a rare televised speech to the U.K. In remarks reminiscent of the homefront during World War II, the queen urged all citizens to meet the pandemic with unity and resolve.
“I am speaking to you at what I know is an increasingly challenging time,” the queen said in a taped remarks. “A time of disruption in the life of our country: a disruption that has brought grief to some, financial difficulties to many, and enormous changes to the daily lives of us all.”
Prince Charles, the queen’s oldest child and heir to the British throne, has recovered from a mild case of coronavirus.
Only a single cameraman dressed in protective gear was in the room with the queen at Windsor Castle.
Except for her annual Christmas speech, this was only the fifth time in her nearly 67 year-long reign that Queen Elizabeth addressed the British people.
The last time was for her the Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
