The UK Prime Minister remains in a London hospital this morning after enduring persistent COVID-19 symptoms.

Boris Johnson was admitted to hospital last night after suffering 10 days of ongoing symptoms, including a high fever.

A Downing Street spokesperson said the move was precautionary and said the 55-year-old continues to lead the UKs coronavirus response.

The spokesperson said Mr Johnson “thanks NHS staff for all of their incredible, hard work” and was encouraging the pubic to “continue to follow the government's advice to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.”

The British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is designated as the man to take over if Mr Johnson is incapacitated and he will chair the Westminster coronavirus committee this morning.

Speaking yesterday, the UK Health Secretary, who recently recovered from his own bout of COVID-19, said he has been in contact with Mr Johnson on a daily basis.

“It shows this virus affects different people differently,” he said.

“I was lucky, I had two pretty rough days and then I bounced back. Some people do get it pretty mildly and then for others it's very, very serious and the prime minister is not at that end of the spectrum.”

A total of 4,871 COVID-19 patients have now died in Britain since the outbreak began.

As of 9am yesterday there were 46,717 confirmed cases in England, Scotland and Wales.

Meanwhile, there have been 63 deaths in the North, bringing the total on the island of Ireland to 221.

Northern Ireland’s 1,089 confirmed cases brings the island of Ireland total to 6,083.