British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was diagnosed with coronavirus on March 26, is in intensive care in a London hospital after his condition worsened on Monday evening.
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab will be leading the UK government response to the coronavirus while Johnson is in hospital.
In Europe, there are indications that the pace of infections in hard-hit Spain and Italy is slowing, although the death toll continues to rise.
In the United States, the outbreak is still growing with the death toll at least 10,000 and more than 366,000 confirmed cases.
Boris Johnson says he is in “good spirits” after spending the night in hospital with coronavirus.
The PM was taken to St Thomas’ Hospital in London on Sunday evening with “persistent symptoms” – including a temperature and a cough – for routine tests.
It comes as the number of coronavirus hospital deaths in the UK reached 5,373 – an increase of 439 in a day.
The Department of Health and Social Care reported 51,608 confirmed cases.
The prime minister, 55, tested positive for coronavirus 10 days ago.
He remains in charge of government, although Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab chaired Monday’s coronavirus meeting.
In a tweet, Mr Johnson said he was “keeping in touch with my team as we work together to fight this virus and keep everyone safe”.
He also thanked the “brilliant NHS staff” taking care of him and other patients, adding: “You are the best of Britain”.
The prime minister’s official spokesman said he remained in hospital “under observation”, and described Russian reports that Mr Johnson had been placed on a ventilator as “disinformation”.
He is continuing to receive updates and briefings in hospital, the spokesman added.
Last month, the prime minister’s spokesman said if Mr Johnson was unwell and unable to work, Mr Raab, as the first secretary of state, would stand in.
Earlier, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said he hoped the prime minister would be back in Downing Street “as soon as possible”.
“He’s been working extremely hard leading the government and being constantly updated. That’s going to continue,” he told BBC Breakfast.
“I’m sure this is very frustrating for him, for somebody like Boris who wants to be hands [on] running the government from the front, but nonetheless he’s still very much in charge of the government,” he added.