<p> British leader Boris Johnson was on Monday back at work in Downing Street, after two weeks' convalescence following hospital treatment for coronavirus which included three days in intensive care.</p>.<p>Here's how the COVID-19 crisis has unfolded for the prime minister:</p>.<p> Johnson has been criticised for initially not taking the coronavirus seriously enough -- on a personal and political level.</p>.<p>As the outbreak began to spread beyond China through February, he spent a week at the government's country estate home, Chevening, reportedly with his partner Carrie Symonds.</p>.<p>By early March, with more than 100,000 cases recorded globally and the World Health Organization (WHO) warning of a potential pandemic, he still appeared to be underestimating the threat.</p>.<p>"I continue to shake hands," Johnson said at a March 3 press conference, after visiting a hospital ward and meeting patients of the COVID-19 illness.</p>.<p>Two days later, Britain's first death from coronavirus was announced.</p>.<p> With the number of confirmed coronavirus cases climbing over 1,000 by mid-March, Johnson was still insisting rigorous hand-washing was the best defence.</p>.<p>He remained unwilling to introduce the kind of lockdowns seen in Italy and elsewhere, and confusion surfaced over strategy.</p>.<p>The government said it was aiming to suppress the number of cases to stagger demand on the state-run National Health Service (NHS).</p>.<p>But its chief scientific adviser also suggested allowing some "herd immunity" to develop in the population was part of the strategy.</p>.<p> On March 20, Johnson's government dramatically escalated its response, ordering all schools, pubs, restaurants, gyms and other social venues to close across the country.</p>.<p>Three days later he addressed the nation on television, telling Britons they should only go outside to buy food, to exercise once a day or go to work if they absolutely cannot work from home.</p>.<p>But he and his ministers continued to conduct some meetings in person, despite reports staff in Downing Street were self-isolating after developing coronavirus symptoms.</p>.<p> On March 27, Johnson revealed he had tested positive for COVID-19 after developing mild symptoms the previous afternoon.</p>.<p>The Conservative leader embarked on seven days of self-isolation, as advised by British health officials, in his flat above his Downing Street office.</p>.<p>But on April 3, he said he would be remaining in isolation at home as he had failed to shake off a high temperature.</p>.<p> After nine days of persistent symptoms, Johnson was admitted to hospital on April 5 as a "precautionary step" for further tests.</p>.<p>Within 24 hours he was moved to an intensive care unit, in case he needed to use a ventilator. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab stepped up to deputise.</p>.<p>Johnson spent three days in the unit, receiving "oxygen support", but he was not put on a ventilator.</p>.<p>He admitted after discharge on April 12 that his fight with the virus "could have gone either way".</p>.<p>Johnson credited the NHS with saving his life -- "no question".</p>.<p> He has spent the past two weeks recovering at Chequers, the country home of prime ministers, northwest of London.</p>.<p>Last week he held phone calls with US President Donald Trump and Queen Elizabeth II, but officially remained off work.</p>.<p>Johnson returned to Downing Street on Sunday and on Monday was due to chair the government's daily coronavirus meeting.</p>.<p>In his first public appearance in nearly a month, he read a statement outside his office saying Britain was "beginning to turn the tide" in tackling the virus and urged people to maintain the lockdown.</p>
<p> British leader Boris Johnson was on Monday back at work in Downing Street, after two weeks' convalescence following hospital treatment for coronavirus which included three days in intensive care.</p>.<p>Here's how the COVID-19 crisis has unfolded for the prime minister:</p>.<p> Johnson has been criticised for initially not taking the coronavirus seriously enough -- on a personal and political level.</p>.<p>As the outbreak began to spread beyond China through February, he spent a week at the government's country estate home, Chevening, reportedly with his partner Carrie Symonds.</p>.<p>By early March, with more than 100,000 cases recorded globally and the World Health Organization (WHO) warning of a potential pandemic, he still appeared to be underestimating the threat.</p>.<p>"I continue to shake hands," Johnson said at a March 3 press conference, after visiting a hospital ward and meeting patients of the COVID-19 illness.</p>.<p>Two days later, Britain's first death from coronavirus was announced.</p>.<p> With the number of confirmed coronavirus cases climbing over 1,000 by mid-March, Johnson was still insisting rigorous hand-washing was the best defence.</p>.<p>He remained unwilling to introduce the kind of lockdowns seen in Italy and elsewhere, and confusion surfaced over strategy.</p>.<p>The government said it was aiming to suppress the number of cases to stagger demand on the state-run National Health Service (NHS).</p>.<p>But its chief scientific adviser also suggested allowing some "herd immunity" to develop in the population was part of the strategy.</p>.<p> On March 20, Johnson's government dramatically escalated its response, ordering all schools, pubs, restaurants, gyms and other social venues to close across the country.</p>.<p>Three days later he addressed the nation on television, telling Britons they should only go outside to buy food, to exercise once a day or go to work if they absolutely cannot work from home.</p>.<p>But he and his ministers continued to conduct some meetings in person, despite reports staff in Downing Street were self-isolating after developing coronavirus symptoms.</p>.<p> On March 27, Johnson revealed he had tested positive for COVID-19 after developing mild symptoms the previous afternoon.</p>.<p>The Conservative leader embarked on seven days of self-isolation, as advised by British health officials, in his flat above his Downing Street office.</p>.<p>But on April 3, he said he would be remaining in isolation at home as he had failed to shake off a high temperature.</p>.<p> After nine days of persistent symptoms, Johnson was admitted to hospital on April 5 as a "precautionary step" for further tests.</p>.<p>Within 24 hours he was moved to an intensive care unit, in case he needed to use a ventilator. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab stepped up to deputise.</p>.<p>Johnson spent three days in the unit, receiving "oxygen support", but he was not put on a ventilator.</p>.<p>He admitted after discharge on April 12 that his fight with the virus "could have gone either way".</p>.<p>Johnson credited the NHS with saving his life -- "no question".</p>.<p> He has spent the past two weeks recovering at Chequers, the country home of prime ministers, northwest of London.</p>.<p>Last week he held phone calls with US President Donald Trump and Queen Elizabeth II, but officially remained off work.</p>.<p>Johnson returned to Downing Street on Sunday and on Monday was due to chair the government's daily coronavirus meeting.</p>.<p>In his first public appearance in nearly a month, he read a statement outside his office saying Britain was "beginning to turn the tide" in tackling the virus and urged people to maintain the lockdown.</p>