A Cabinet ally of Boris Johnson has said "things are getting better" for the Prime Minister after he spent a third night in intensive care.
Oliver Dowden, the Culture Secretary, confirmed there was no deterioration in the Tory leader's condition as of 7am on Thursday.
Mr Johnson has so far been able to avoid being put on a ventilator, the sign of the most serious complications from Covid-19.
And last night the Chancellor said Mr Johnson - who has now had symptoms for 13 days - had improved to the point he had been sitting up in bed.
Mr Dowden told BBC Breakfast this morning: "It remains as we said yesterday.
"He’s stable, improving, sat up and engaged with medical staff.
"I’ve known the Prime Minister for a long time and I wish him well in this difficult time and I think things are getting better for him."
Mr Dowden also appeared BBC Radio 4's Today programme and gave a similar response, saying: "He's in a stable condition, he seems to be doing reasonably well, he was sat up and engaging with medical staff."
Asked about whether the PM will be able to make a decision himself on the lockdown next week, Mr Dowden said: "We have a well-established mechanism for the first minister Dominic Raab to take the Prime Minister's place in chairing such meetings, he will chair Cobra and he will chair the relevant decisions.
"This is just about going through a proper process, that's why we're waiting for next week."
Downing Street say the PM's condition has not worsened since Monday when he was first taken to intensive care.
The last official update, just before 7pm on Wednesday, said: "The Prime Minister continues to make steady progress. He remains in intensive care."
Chancellor Rishi Sunak added last night: "The latest from the hospital is that the prime minister remains in intensive care where his condition is improving.
"I can also tell you that he has been sitting up in bed and been engaging positively with the clinical team."
The Culture Secretary gave a further update on the Prime Minister's health, saying Boris Johnson is doing "reasonably well".
Asked about whether the PM will be able to make a decision himself on the lockdown next week, Mr Dowden told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "He's in a stable condition, he seems to be doing reasonably well, he was sat up and engaging with medical staff.
"But we have a well-established mechanism for the first minister Dominic Raab to take the Prime Minister's place in chairing such meetings, he will chair Cobra and he will chair the relevant decisions.
"This is just about going through a proper process, that's why we're waiting for next week."
