Prime Minister Boris Johnson March 2020. Image: 10 Downing Street.

The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has been admitted to hospital after suffering from the coronavirus for ten days.

A Downing Street statement says this was on the advice of his doctor because he has had persistent symptoms after being tested positive for the virus, and needs precautionary tests.

It was not an emergency admission.

At least one Sunday newspaper reported that ‘Government aides said he had been “coughing and spluttering” on video conference calls over the last few days.’

He did not look well in his last video message to the nation on Friday, or when appearing on the door-step of Downing Street to applaud NHS workers Thursday evening at 8 p.m.

In his last video the Prime Minister said he remained in isolation because he continued to have a persistent high temperature.

He spent the night in hospital and a government spokesperson said he would remain there for as long as was needed.

Mr Johnson remains ‘in charge of the Government’ and in contact with ministerial colleagues and officials despite his hospital admission.

The de facto deputy prime minister Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, is expected to chair the daily Covid-19 meeting this morning in Mr Johnson’s place.

🚨 BREAKING: Prime Minister Boris Johnson is in hospital to undergo tests after testing positive for Covid-19.

Follow the latest below ⬇️https://t.co/ESGeq2I5rT

— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) April 5, 2020

.@realDonaldTrump leads the offerings of support for Boris Johnson after the British PM was admitted to hospital pic.twitter.com/qhOu15TB8g

— PA Media (@PA) April 6, 2020

The Queen invokes the spirit of World War Two in her address to the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries on COVID-19 emergency.

Queen Elizabeth II is the longest serving head of state in the world and assured everyone that ‘we will succeed’ and ‘we will meet again.’

She said:

While we have faced challenges before, this one is different. This time we join with all nations across the globe in a common endeavour, using the great advances of science and our instinctive compassion to heal. We will succeed – and that success will belong to every one of us.

Those who come after us will say the Britons of this generation were as strong as any.

She added:

That the attributes of self-discipline, of quiet good-humoured resolve and of fellow-feeling still characterise this country. The pride in who we are is not a part of our past, it defines our present and our future.

We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return. We will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.

‘We’ll meet again’: Queen Elizabeth invokes WW2 spirit to defeat coronavirus https://t.co/kzq7zQo7ck pic.twitter.com/oeJL700sS5

— Reuters UK (@ReutersUK) April 5, 2020

Around one hundred fewer deaths reported in the daily figures for Britain, but infections and hospital admissions suggest the country faces an impact worse than experienced by France and Italy.

The number of UK deaths reported on Sunday rose by another 621 to 4,934 including 29 patients without any underlying health conditions.

A new government graphic suggests the UK is on track to overtake the number of coronavirus deaths in Italy and France

The level of infections has risen sharply by almost 60 per cent, from 5,903 to 47,806 – the largest daily increase.

Global trend in coronavirus deaths Sunday 5th April 2020. Image: COBR graphic

“The quantity and supply of oxygen is something we’ve been working hard on.”

Matt Hancock admits “we have had an equipment failure” amid the #coronavirus pandemic, adding the government needs to make sure “each hospital has that available.”

#COVID19: https://t.co/mnzdRvtwS7 pic.twitter.com/NLcU1jV8BB

— Sky News (@SkyNews) April 5, 2020

Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer resigns after overwhelming criticism and police advice for visiting her second home in the Scottish countryside with her family over two weekends.

Dr Catherine Calderwood said she was ‘deeply sorry’ and resigned ‘with a heavy heart.’

She said she agreed with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon that the ‘justifiable focus’ on her behaviour risked distracting from the pandemic response.

The chief medical officer was among those who have been urging the public to stay at home to save lives and protect the NHS.

However, pictures of her during the a family trip to Earlsferry in Fife were published in The Scottish Sunday Sun.

“I did not follow the advice I’m giving to others, I’m truly sorry for that”

Scotland’s chief medical officer says she made a “mistake” and recognises she’s let both the NHS and the public down but hopes to be able to “continue to focus” on her jobhttps://t.co/4UOy3sGNcy pic.twitter.com/9sRymlcmHh

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) April 5, 2020