<p>Prime Minister Boris Johnson was recovering in a hospital ward Friday after ending three days in intensive care for <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/coronavirus" target="_blank">COVID-19</a>, as his government urged Britons to stay at home over Easter.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-news-live-updates-3-deaths-in-telangana-1-new-case-in-manipur-all-returned-from-nizamuddin-meet-817763.html"><b>Track live updates on coronavirus here</b></a></p>.<p>The 55-year-old leader left intensive care at London's St Thomas' Hospital on Thursday evening and will now be monitored closely during what Downing Street called "the early phase of his recovery".</p>.<p>"He is in extremely good spirits," a No. 10 spokesman said.</p>.<p>Johnson's improving condition came as the government continues to impose an unprecedented nationwide lockdown to try to stem the spread of the deadly coronavirus.</p>.<p>It announced another 881 deaths on Thursday, taking the UK total to 7,978, with more than 65,000 cases so far confirmed.</p>.<p>That is thought to reflect only a fraction of the actual number of people infected.</p>.<p>Despite the grim tolls, there were indications the stringent social distancing regime introduced on March 23 could be starting to have a positive impact.</p>.<p>"We are beginning to see the benefits of this social distancing," said Stephen Powis, medical director of England's state-run National Health Service (NHS).</p>.<p>"We do believe the virus is spreading less," he told the BBC.</p>.<p>But Powis stressed it was "critical" that people keep obeying the social distancing measures over the long Easter weekend, when fine weather in forecast.</p>.<p>"It's still too early to really be confident that we are turning the corner," he added.</p>.<p>"We need to completely and utterly make sure that we all comply with the instructions we have been given."</p>.<p>Johnson is the most high-profile world leader to suffer from the coronavirus.</p>.<p>He was hospitalised Sunday over concerns he still had a cough and high temperature after spending 10 days in self-isolation in a flat above his Downing Street office.</p>.<p>While in intensive care the Conservative leader received "standard oxygen treatment" and did not require a ventilator.</p>.<p>But his transfer there Monday, unprecedented for a prime minister during a national emergency in modern times, rattled Britain and sent shockwaves around the world.</p>.<p>US President Donald Trump called Johnson's release from intensive care "a very positive development".</p>.<p>His father Stanley Johnson said on Saturday he must now "rest up", after last week trying to keep working during his self-isolation.</p>.<p>"He has to take time," the elder Johnson told BBC radio.</p>.<p>"I cannot believe you can walk away from this and get straight back to Downing Street and pick up the reins without a period of readjustment."</p>.<p>Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been deputising for Johnson in his absence.</p>.<p>He led an emergency meeting of senior ministers on Friday, which discussed a formal review of the lockdown measures set for next week.</p>.<p>Implemented for an initial three weeks, the measures are widely expected to remain for at least the rest of the month.</p>.<p>Imperial College professor Neil Ferguson, one of the scientists advising the government on coronavirus, said they appeared to be working better than expected.</p>.<p>But he cautioned more evidence the spread of the disease was being reduced would be needed before they could be relaxed.</p>.<p>"There is some preliminary evidence... that we have seen even larger reductions in normal behaviour, contact, than we would have dared hope," he told BBC radio.</p>.<p>"That is good news but we have still got to see that reflected in case numbers coming down."</p>
<p>Prime Minister Boris Johnson was recovering in a hospital ward Friday after ending three days in intensive care for <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/coronavirus" target="_blank">COVID-19</a>, as his government urged Britons to stay at home over Easter.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-news-live-updates-3-deaths-in-telangana-1-new-case-in-manipur-all-returned-from-nizamuddin-meet-817763.html"><b>Track live updates on coronavirus here</b></a></p>.<p>The 55-year-old leader left intensive care at London's St Thomas' Hospital on Thursday evening and will now be monitored closely during what Downing Street called "the early phase of his recovery".</p>.<p>"He is in extremely good spirits," a No. 10 spokesman said.</p>.<p>Johnson's improving condition came as the government continues to impose an unprecedented nationwide lockdown to try to stem the spread of the deadly coronavirus.</p>.<p>It announced another 881 deaths on Thursday, taking the UK total to 7,978, with more than 65,000 cases so far confirmed.</p>.<p>That is thought to reflect only a fraction of the actual number of people infected.</p>.<p>Despite the grim tolls, there were indications the stringent social distancing regime introduced on March 23 could be starting to have a positive impact.</p>.<p>"We are beginning to see the benefits of this social distancing," said Stephen Powis, medical director of England's state-run National Health Service (NHS).</p>.<p>"We do believe the virus is spreading less," he told the BBC.</p>.<p>But Powis stressed it was "critical" that people keep obeying the social distancing measures over the long Easter weekend, when fine weather in forecast.</p>.<p>"It's still too early to really be confident that we are turning the corner," he added.</p>.<p>"We need to completely and utterly make sure that we all comply with the instructions we have been given."</p>.<p>Johnson is the most high-profile world leader to suffer from the coronavirus.</p>.<p>He was hospitalised Sunday over concerns he still had a cough and high temperature after spending 10 days in self-isolation in a flat above his Downing Street office.</p>.<p>While in intensive care the Conservative leader received "standard oxygen treatment" and did not require a ventilator.</p>.<p>But his transfer there Monday, unprecedented for a prime minister during a national emergency in modern times, rattled Britain and sent shockwaves around the world.</p>.<p>US President Donald Trump called Johnson's release from intensive care "a very positive development".</p>.<p>His father Stanley Johnson said on Saturday he must now "rest up", after last week trying to keep working during his self-isolation.</p>.<p>"He has to take time," the elder Johnson told BBC radio.</p>.<p>"I cannot believe you can walk away from this and get straight back to Downing Street and pick up the reins without a period of readjustment."</p>.<p>Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been deputising for Johnson in his absence.</p>.<p>He led an emergency meeting of senior ministers on Friday, which discussed a formal review of the lockdown measures set for next week.</p>.<p>Implemented for an initial three weeks, the measures are widely expected to remain for at least the rest of the month.</p>.<p>Imperial College professor Neil Ferguson, one of the scientists advising the government on coronavirus, said they appeared to be working better than expected.</p>.<p>But he cautioned more evidence the spread of the disease was being reduced would be needed before they could be relaxed.</p>.<p>"There is some preliminary evidence... that we have seen even larger reductions in normal behaviour, contact, than we would have dared hope," he told BBC radio.</p>.<p>"That is good news but we have still got to see that reflected in case numbers coming down."</p>