Downing Street say Boris is ‘stable’ but experts concerned he is still in ICU

Downing Street have confirmed on Wednesday that Boris Johnson remain in intensive care and is responding to treatment.

No 10 said the Prime Minister is breathing for himself and is not on a ventilator unit, but they said nothing of his temperature.

The spokesman said, “The Prime Minister is not working, he’s in intensive care, he has the ability to contact those that he needs to, he’s following the advice of his doctors at all times.”

On Wednesday morning, health minister Edward Argar confirmed Johnson had not been given a ventilator unit.

Argar said, ” He is comfortable, he’s stable, he’s in good spirits.

“While he’s had oxygen, he hasn’t been on a ventilator.”

It is unclear what treatment Johnson is on, and he could be on a breathing aid called, a continuous positive airway pressure, also known as a CPAP.

But an expert is asking why the Prime Minister is still in an intensive care unit (ICU) if he only requires “standard oxygen treatment?”

Another expert said that the NHS “doesn’t give up intensive care beds just for people to be looked over.”

Dr Nathalie McDermott, a clinical lecturer at Kings College London questions why Johnson is in intensive care, rather than a ward or High Dependency Unit if it is true he only requires standard oxygen treatment?

She said, “Downing Street are saying he’s not requiring anything other than oxygen which I find interesting because someone requiring oxygen wouldn’t normally be on intensive care.

Adding, “[The patient] might be on a High Dependency Unit, they might have two to one or one to one nursing.

“But normally you go to intensive care when you need additional breathing support. It’s difficult to know.”

Derek Hill, professor of medical imaging at University College London (UCL) warned that Johnson could be placed on a breathing aid called, a continuous positive airway pressure, also known as a CPAP.

The CPAP is less intrusive than a ventilator and bridges the gap between an oxygen mask and being intubated and placed on a ventilator.

The CPAP provides a steady rate of a mix of air and oxygen into the mouth.

Professor Hill warned that most coronavirus patients do “progress to invasive ventilation” which enables people to breathe who are struggling to or cannot.

Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist, told Sky News on Monday, “I’ll say this to you, the NHS, particularly at this moment, doesn’t give up intensive care beds just for people to be looked over, it doesn’t work like that, even for prime ministers.

“He would not be in intensive care unless he needed to be in intensive care, especially not at this time, and I think it’s probably about time that the press people in Number 10 started levelling with us about what his condition really is.”

Furthermore, Johnson is being treated by one of the UK’s leading lung expert at St Thomas’ Hospital in central London.