Boris Johnson has been admitted to hospital for the coronavirus. Here's what happens if he becomes too ill to remain prime minister

• UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been admitted to hospital, ten days after testing positive for COVID-19 after experiencing "persistent symptoms of coronavirus."
• Johnson continues to exhibit a high temperature and will undergo tests in hospital, Downing Street indicated.
• Aides have reportedly become "increasingly worried" about his health in recent days.
• The UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will deputise for him at an emergency UK government coronavirus meeting on Monday.
• However, Downing Street insists that Johnson remains in charge and in communication with colleagues.
• Here's the plan for what happens if Johnson becomes too ill from the coronavirus to remain in the job.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been admitted to hospital after exhibiting "persistent symptoms of coronavirus" tens days after first testing positive for COVID-19.

Downing Street indicated on Sunday that the prime minister continues to exhibit a high temperature and will undergo further tests on the advice of his doctor.

A spokesperson for Johnson said that his hospital admission was only a precautionary measure and he remains in charge of the government.

However, aides have reportedly become "increasingly worried" about the prime minister's health in recent days.

The Guardian reports a source suggesting that Johnson was "more seriously ill than either he or his officials were prepared to admit," and "was being seen by doctors who were concerned about his breathing."

Here's what will happen if Johnson became too ill to remain prime minister.

Who is Johnson's 'designated survivor'?

Downing Street insisted on Sunday that Johnson would remain in contact with aides and colleagues and continues to lead the government, despite being in the hospital.

However, he will not chair an emergency UK government coronavirus meeting on Monday and will instead be deputised by the UK's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.

Raab, who has twice tested negative for the coronavirus, is Johnson's "designated survivor," and will take on Johnson's responsibilities if he becomes too ill to remain in charge of the government.

The decision to give Raab the job reportedly upset some other members of Johnson's Cabinet.

One unnamed minister told The Times: "If Boris can't do his job because he is incapacitated, a lot of people think that Michael [Gove] should be running the show, not Raab. One of these people is Michael, of course."

What happens if Johnson cannot continue

Should Johnson become too ill to remain as prime minister, Raab would have to step in.

As the UK is a parliamentary democracy, there would be no need, under the UK's unwritten constitution, for an immediate election. However, political pressure from the opposition could eventually lead to one.

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