Rishi Sunak will lead the government if Dominic Raab falls ill

The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak will lead the government should the First Minister, Dominic Raab fall ill with coronavirus, Downing Street have confirmed.

Dominic Raab is currently leading the government after Boris Johnson was admitted to intensive care on Monday evening.

A No 10 spokesman said that Rishi Sunak will step in should Raab fall sick with the virus. On Monday evening Downing Street said that Raab is to be deputised, as Deputy Prime Minister.

Raab said on Monday evening, “The Prime Minister is in safe hands with that brilliant team at St Thomas’ hospital, and the focus of the government will continue to be on making sure that the Prime Minister’s direction, all the plans for making sure that we can defeat coronavirus and can pull the country through this challenge, will be taken forward.

Johnson is now in a stable condition and in “good spirits” after he was admitted to intensive care, Downing Street have confirmed.

On Sunday Johnson was taken to St Thomas’ Hospital in central London as a precaution after his health worsened.

The Downing Street spokesman said, “The Prime Minister has been stable overnight and remains in good spirits.

“He is receiving standard oxygen treatment and breathing without any other assistance.

The news comes as the UK has seen a record spike in coronavirus deaths in a single day, with 854 deaths recorded, bringing the total to 6,277.

In England another 758 patients died, after contracting coronvarius, the total now stands at 5,655, 224 of those deaths were in London.

Those who died in England were aged between 23 and 102-years old. 29 of the 758 patients, who were aged between 23 and 99-years old, had no known underlying health conditions.

The NHS website states that ICU’s are, “Specialist hospital wards that provide treatment and monitoring for people who are very ill.”

Adding, “Intensive care is needed if someone is seriously ill and requires intensive treatment and close monitoring, or if they’re having surgery and intensive care, can help them recover.

“Most people in an ICU have problems with one or more organs. For example, they may be unable to breathe on their own.”

Uniformed police officers are stationed at the entrance to St Thomas’ Hospital on Monday evening. Throughout the day officers and police vehicles could be seen entering and exiting St. Thomas’s hospital.