A police officer stands in front of barriers erected outside St. Thomas' Hospital in London on Monday. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was in the hospital on Monday undergoing tests after suffering "persistent" symptoms of coronavirus for 10 days. Photo: AFP

Chinese doctors and internet users scrambled online Tuesday to offer health advice to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson after he was admitted to an intensive care unit in London, with many expressing concerns and prayers for a his recovery from the COVID-19. 

The British leader was confirmed with COVID-19 on March 27 and after 10 days, his condition continued to worsen. He was moved to an intensive care unit Monday night.

The prime minister remains in good spirits since he stayed at the ICU for a night. He is receiving standard oxygen treatment and no mechanical ventilation or non-invasive respiratory support are required, a Downing Street spokesman said Tuesday. But the Downing Street said Johnson does not have pneumonia.



Chinese doctors shared their experience battling the COVID-19 epidemic on Zhihu community, a Chinese version of Quora. The topic "British Prime Minister Boris Johnson enters ICU" topped the reading list on the platform with nearly 90 million views as of press time. 

The same topic on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo social media platform was read more than 600 670 million times and garnered more than 36,000 comments. Many prayed for the prime minister and expressed sympathies. 

"I hope Johnson will get through this virus," was one typical post.

"Please get better. There is a country waiting for him to lead," another posted.  

"Stay strong! Johnson. There is a Chinese saying that good luck will come after you get better," another commented after hearing the news.  

One internet user said Johnson may have had lung disease this year. 

Another posted: "Boris is about to be a dad. Despite the fact I dislike him, I do hope he will get through this." 

Some speculated that his personal experience may prompt him to reconsider and adjust the overall strategy of coping with the virus. 

"It's not good to see the herd immunity method on Johnson himself. Hope you will take the epidemic seriously," posted one.

Many Chinese students studying in the UK expressed emotions on Weibo. 

"I feel bad when hearing the news. I sincerely hope Boris will be OK," posted a UK-based user.

In a speech, the Queen said she believed the UK would succeed in the fight against the epidemic and the country would join all nations across the globe in a common endeavor. 

According to the Chinese experience in diagnosing COVID-19 patients, Johnson entering intensive care meant he may have obvious breathing difficulties or multiple organ failure, Wang Guangfa, a leading Chinese respiratory expert at Peking University First Hospital in Beijing, told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

The COVID-19 is a disease caused by the virus, not all patients have pneumonia but the prime minister is receiving oxygen treatment, thus he must have pneumonia, Wang noted, suggesting he takes CT scan to have further check.

Admission means Johnson's hopes of self-healing were declining. The prime minister's condition was likely to deteriorate, Ling Chumian, one doctor who said he worked at a frontline hospital in Wuhan for over a month wrote on Zhihu community. 

Ling, the anesthetist, told the Global Times based on news reports, Johnson should have a intubation as early as possible as a precautionary method. 

Frontline clinical experience in China noted COVID-19 patients suffer "rapid breathing failure" before they even have a chance to insert the flexible plastic tube into the windpipe, Ling said.

Johnson has been suffering coronavirus symptoms at least 11 days including a persistent cough and fever, the Times of London reported. 

Wang told the Global Times that the death rate of a COVID-19 patient who enters ICU was "about 10-20 percent." If the patient did not improve with oxygen, intubation and ventilators were recommended, he said.

It is reasonable for the British to be worried about their prime minister's condition now, Wang said. And luckily, there has been no report to confirm Johnson's having other illness, which otherwise could worsen his condition on the top of the COVID-19, he warned. 

The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK climbed to more than 51,000 and over 5,300 deaths on Tuesday. 

In February, the UK announced the adoption of a controversial appeasement strategy to allow more than a half of its population to contract COVID-19 and so build "herd immunity."

As more confirmed cases and deaths hit the UK, Wang suggested the UK stop its "loose method to combat the virus." 

"Herd immunity" only works when half a population is infected. The cost is huge as the death rate of the virus stands at at least 0.7 percent, much higher than influenza"

The virus was preventable and controllable. The UK should emphasize masks, washing hands and social distancing, proven effective in China, Wang said.

"The UK should quarantine patients in a timely manner," posted Zhihu user nesmto. "Otherwise the epidemic in the country will be out of control."


Newspaper headline: Net users pray for Johnson