Coronavirus: Boris Johnson is ‘improving’ and ‘sitting up in bed’, Rishi Sunak says

First positive update – two days after prime minister was admitted to intensive care when his coronavirus symptoms worsened

Boris Johnson’s condition is “improving” and he is now “sitting up in bed”, the chancellor has revealed.

Rishi Sunak gave the optimistic update, two days after the prime minister was admitted to intensive care when his coronavirus symptoms worsened.

“The latest from the hospital is that he remains in intensive care, where his condition is improving,” he told the daily Downing Street press conference.

“I can also tell you he has been sitting up in bed and engaging positively with the clinical team.”

The update came just hours after Downing Street signalled that Dominic Raab was taking on increased duties, “deputising” for the stricken prime minister.

And it followed the announcement of 938 deaths in the UK – the highest daily toll and just 31 short of the peak of 969 announced by Italy on one day at the end of March.

However, Mr Sunak refused to confirm the lockdown will continue past the original three-week timetable – expiring next week – after the Welsh government announced it would.

He described such predictions as “speculation”, ahead of a meeting with the devolved leaderships on Thursday to “talk about the approach to the review”.

Asked if some areas could escape the lockdown before others, he replied: “I don’t want to start speculating about the future – I don’t think that’s helpful at this juncture.”

Angela MacLean, the deputy chief scientific adviser, hinted that schools could reopen before restrictions are eased on other parts of society – although she refused to say if that could happen “before the summer”.

“There is very interesting work into all sorts of different things that we might do in the next stage,” she said, adding it would “explore those sorts of questions”.

Mr Sunak also denied Mr Johnson had fallen sick because “social distancing” guidelines were flouted, saying everyone was “doing their best”, adding: “None of us are superhuman and impervious to getting sick.”

He dismissed growing calls for the post-Brexit transition period to be extended beyond the end of the year, to avoid further economic pain when a recession looms.

“We have left the European Union – that has happened. We are just negotiating the final terms of our trading arrangements. That work is carrying on,” Mr Sunak insisted.

The negotiations are currently stalled in “talks about talks”, but the chancellor vowed: “We remain committed to the timeline for concluding those talks.”