Boris Johnson's spokesman accuses Russia of spreading 'disinformation' after Russian state media claims the prime minister is on a coronavirus ventilator
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The UK government has accused Russia of spreading "disinformation" after the country's state media reported that Prime Minister Boris Johnson was being treated on a ventilator for the coronavirus.
Johnson was admitted to hospital on Sunday after experiencing "persistent symptoms" of the coronavirus.However, he described Russian state media reports that he is on a ventilator for the condition as "disinformation."
"That is disinformation," his spokesman said."Our specialist government units have seen a rise in false reports since the coronavirus outbreak started. It's vital that any information is knocked down quickly."
He added that it was "vital to ensure that we press social media companies for further action to stop the spread of disinformation.""The prime minister was admitted to hospital for tests last night as a precaution," his spokesman said.
"The issue is that his symptoms have remained persistent. The prime minister had a comfortable night in St Thomas's hospital and is in good spirits. He remains in hospital under observation."
They could not confirm when they expected Johnson to be discharged."As soon as there are any details about the PM leaving hospital we will let you know straight away," he said.
They also insisted that Johnson would continue to lead the government from his hospital bed.
"Any information the PM needs to be updated on or any decisions that require action from the PM, that is what will happen," he said.Do you have a personal experience with the coronavirus you'd like to share? Or a tip on how your town or community is handling the pandemic? Please email covidtips@businessinsider.com and tell us your story.
And get the latest coronavirus analysis and research from Business Insider Intelligence on how COVID-19 is impacting businesses.
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