British media: Johnson's high fever in the ICU has decreased, and no one has made a decision within the government

On the 7th local time, British Prime Minister Johnson spent the second night in the intensive care unit and continued to receive treatment for the new crown virus. British media said on the 8th that Johnson's fever symptoms have eased (fever eases), which is the first sign that he may defeat the virus.

All walks of life in the United Kingdom sent encouragement and blessings to the battered prime minister, hoping that the worst moment of the illness was over. Some analysts pointed out that these wishes are sent to the Prime Minister personally, and at the same time for the benefit of the country. At a time when the country is in crisis, the top leaders of the government are powerless, unprecedented in British history.

For the first time, positive signs appear

The British "Sun" said on the 8th that Johnson's fever symptoms have eased. The British "Times" said that the prime minister's persistent high fever has dropped, which is the first sign that he may defeat the virus.

A day earlier, the British government had informed the Prime Minister of the latest information that Johnson was under close monitoring in intensive care unit, which was a clinical practice; Johnson was in "stable" condition, in a "good mental state", receiving standard oxygen therapy, and no mechanical ventilator or noninvasive respiratory support.

The Prime Minister's spokesman said on the evening of the 7th that Johnson currently has no diagnosis of lung infection. Any change in the condition will be made public. British media said that the government will announce the latest condition of the prime minister later on the 8th.

Since entering the intensive care unit on the evening of the 6th, Johnson has not had any contact with the outside world, and both of his mobile phones have been confiscated. The hope is that the worst moments of his condition are over.

British Foreign Secretary Raab said at a cabinet briefing on the 7th that Johnson is not only his boss, but also his friend. "He's a fighter... I believe he will get through this. ”

"The news is encouraging." Jon Bennett, president of the British Thoracic Society, said it was because the prime minister received "standard oxygen therapy" through his nose or face shield, rather than through mechanical support, such as using nasal oxygen tubes or more invasive ventilators. The latter is even more serious.

Specialists assess the probability of rehabilitation

However, the British Sky News channel website said that not wearing a ventilator does not mean that intensive care patients are less serious. Assessing the probability of Johnson's full recovery and whether or not to wear a ventilator may be an important indicator. According to the UK's National Audit and Research Centre for Intensive Care, the survival rate for patients who do not use a ventilator in the first 24 hours of entering the ICU is 83%, and the survival rate of patients who use a ventilator is only 32%. But beyond that, there's an important measure of the condition: whether you have external support from organs other than the lungs. Of the 690 COVID-19 intensive care patients with known treatment outcomes, almost all received cardiac function support.

Mervyn Singer, a professor of intensive care medicine at University College London, notes that "in intensive care, individual organs are protected to maintain good kidney and heart function; hydration and nutrition to prevent secondary complications, and the domino effects triggered by lack of resistance." ”

Data show that without the terrible domino effect, patients would spend an average of 5 days in the ICU. But a full recovery can take weeks or even months. The Guardian quoted a critical care consultant as saying that the average expected length of stay for an infected patient in intensive care is three weeks. In other words, it will be difficult for the prime minister to return to work in the short term.

Government suspends lifting of "lockdown"

Since the Prime Minister's admission to the Hospital, blessings from all walks of life in the UK and around the world have poured in.

"He's still working for you... Pray for him now. The Sun wrote prominently on the front page on the 8th. The British "Daily Express" wrote on the front page on the 8th that Boris "will survive." The Times said on the 8th that the British sent a signal of hope to Johnson who was fighting the virus.

Buckingham Palace said on the 7th that the queen has sent a text message to Johnson's family and his pregnant fiancée, saying that he is worried about them and wishes the prime minister a speedy recovery.

British political commentator Katy Balls believes that those Britons who wish Johnson well are not only for the prime minister's health, but also for the benefit of the country. Agence France-Presse said that at the critical juncture of the fight against the epidemic, the prime minister who was supposed to lead the country was powerless, which was unprecedented in British history.

As an agent of the prime minister, Raab presided over the daily epidemic meeting of the cabinet on the 7th. At the press conference, a reporter asked Raab whether he had assumed all the responsibilities of prime minister. Raab's words are vague: he will assume temporary prime ministerial duties "whenever necessary", including presiding over daily COVID-19 "war cabinet" meetings; all decisions will be made collectively by the cabinet – and therefore as before.

The British "Spectator" weekly magazine believes that regardless of Raab's ability to lead the country through the crisis, in terms of the current arrangement alone, Raab cannot fully exercise the power of prime minister: he does not work at 10 Downing Street, does not meet with the Queen, and does not have the power to fire or hire cabinet members. More importantly, he cannot be the last proponent like the prime minister.

Johnson had previously promised to reassess whether to ease the three-week "lockdown" measures this week, which expire next Monday. However, the British government confirmed on the 7th that it will not re-evaluate whether the blockade can be relaxed this week. Raab explained that the most important thing is to make decisions based on scientific evidence, and it is not yet time.

Analysts say the government's reluctance to discuss the "unsealing" is due to internal differences of opinion. Some ministers believe that the lockdown must be eased in the coming weeks to save the economy; others believe that this is a devastating gamble on people's lives. Raab can't make a decision, and such a decision can only be made by the democratically elected prime minister.

Right now, the UK appears to have entered what scientists call the deadliest phase of the outbreak. As of the morning of the 7th, the cumulative number of confirmed cases in the UK was 55,242, and the death toll rose to 6,159. According to the British government, if raab, 46, is also unfortunate enough to contract the virus, it will be the next agent by the 39-year-old chancellor of the exchequer Sunak. But even Raab himself admits that acting as prime minister is only a temporary measure, not a long-term solution.

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Column Editor-in-Chief: Yang Liqun Text Editor: Yang Liqun Caption Source: Xinhua News Agency Photo Editor: Yong Kai

Source: An Zheng