Boris Johnson is still “very much in charge of the government” despite remaining in hospital for tests overnight, a Cabinet minister has insisted.
Robert Jenrick said the Prime Minister is still being informed about Covid-19 updates despite stand-in Dominic Raab taking his place at today's daily 9.15am planning meeting.
The Times reports the PM was driven to St Thomas’ Hospital at 8pm yesterday and given oxygen treatment. No10 said it was not an emergency admission.
Yet despite refusing to rule out more nights in hospital, colleagues have insisted the PM can run the country from his hospital bed.
Mr Jenrick told BBC Breakfast the PM was kept overnight as a “precautionary step” for “routine tests” because he has had persistent symptoms for 10 days.
The Housing Secretary said: “He spent the night in hospital. We all wish him well, we hope as a result of those tests he’ll be able to come back to Downing Street as soon as possible.”
But Mr Jenrick said the PM is “very much in charge of the government” and “will continue to be informed what’s happening”.
Mr Jenrick did not rule out the Prime Minister spending more nights in hospital but said he expects him to return to Number 10 "shortly".
The Cabinet minister said he has "heard he's doing well" and that Mr Johnson had been working "phenomenally hard" during a "uniquely intense period".
Asked if the PM will spend more nights in hospital, Mr Jenrick told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "He will obviously take the advice of doctors and nurses who are doing those tests and act accordingly."
But he later added: "It's worth underlining that going to hospital was a precautionary step, he's undergoing some routine tests on the advice of his doctors, this isn't an emergency admission, and so I certainly expect that he will be back at Number 10 shortly."
Jenrick also told BBC radio: “I’m sure this is very frustrating for someone like Boris who wants to be hands on running the government from the front.”
"He'll stay in hospital as long as he needs to do that, but I've heard that he's doing well and I very much look forward to him being back in Number 10 as soon as possible.
"This isn't an emergency admission and so I certainly expect that he'll be back at Number 10 shortly," he added.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told ITV: "I’m sure he will make the right judgements and the best judgments.
"If he feels he’s unable to carry on as Prime Minister during a period of illness then I’m sure he’ll do the right thing and hand over to somebody else.
"But I don’t think that is for me to judge.”
The Prime Minister has been confined in isolation after being diagnosed with the killer bug - which is said to have hit him "like a sledgehammer".
His pregnant fiancée, Carrie Symonds, 32, has also been suffering with coronavirus symptoms and spent the past week in bed.
Mr Johnson, 55, last week insisted he was feeling better, but insiders said the disease "had really slammed him".
A Downing Street spokesperson 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.
“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.”
GP Dr Sarah Jarvis told the BBC it is likely the PM has "moderate" symptoms of coronavirus.
"The majority of people who develop coronavirus will have mild symptoms - that's probably 80% or so," she said.
"The older you become the more likely it is that you will become severely unwell with this.
"There is a severe stage, a moderate stage and a critical stage."
