US president Donald Trump has said Americans are praying for the recovery UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a friend to the nation, who was moved to the intensive care unit after his Covid-19 symptoms worsened.
Boris Johnson was taken to the hospital on Sunday and was undergoing tests after suffering persistent coronavirus symptoms for over 10 days after he first tested positive. The 55-year-old UK leader was shifted to the intensive care ward in London’s St Thomas’ Hospital on Monday.
He is in ICU as a precaution should he require ventilation to aid his recovery, officials have said.
“I also want to send best wishes to a very good friend of mine and a friend of our nation Prime Minister Boris Johnson. We’re very saddened to hear that he was taken into intensive care ... a little while ago,” Trump said during his daily coronavirus task force briefing from the White House.
“He’s been a really good friend. He’s been really something very special. Strong. Resolute,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“He’s been a really good friend. He’s been really something very special. Strong. Resolute,” he said.
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Trump also said his administration has contacted the British government to extend their help.
“We’ve contacted all of Boris’ doctors, and we’ll see what is going to take place, but they are ready to go… When you are brought into intensive care that gets very, very serious,” he said.
“We are working with London with respect to Boris Johnson,” the US president added.
Trump said that he had asked two US pharmaceutical companies (not named) to contact Johnson’s doctors to check if both he and the companies could help with the therapies in practice to treat coronavirus patients.
“We have made tremendous progress on therapeutics… I’ve asked two of the leading companies... I have asked them to contact London immediately,” he said.
Trump also said the two companies have contacted their London offices and ensured that they have everything that Johnson’s doctors may need during his recovery.
Boris Johnson was tested positive on March 27 and his symptoms included high temperature and a cough.
(With agency inputs)