British premier moved out of ICU as condition improves

By Karim El-Bar

LONDON (AA) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson moved out of intensive care on Thursday and back into a regular hospital ward, according to a government statement.

A Downing Street spokesman said: “The prime minister has been moved this evening from intensive care back to the ward, where he will receive close monitoring during the early phase of his recovery. He is in extremely good spirits.”

Johnson has spent the last three nights in intensive care, after being admitted to hospital last Sunday. The prime minister tested positive for coronavirus on March 26.

British health authorities announced on Thursday that the U.K.-wide death toll from coronavirus has risen to 7,978.

The government said that 243,421 people have been tested for coronavirus, with 65,077 cases confirmed.

Since originating in Wuhan, China last December, the virus has spread to at least 184 countries and regions.

There are more than 1.5 million confirmed cases worldwide, with more than 93,000 deaths, and over 346,000 recoveries, according to U.S-based Johns Hopkins University.