Michael Gove spoke for many in Westminster and beyond when he expressed his shock at Boris Johnson’s move into intensive care. “All of us are discovering that this virus has a malignity and a malevolence that is truly frightening,” the Cabinet Office minister said on Tuesday. 

The worsening of the UK prime minister’s condition took ministers, officials and allies by surprise. Although he had been in self-isolation for 11 days, he continued to work from his flat in Number 11 Downing Street — including several selfie videos and two public appearances on the street outside to clap in support of the National Health Service.

Very few were aware that his coronavirus symptoms were developing beyond the “mild” description set out by Number 10. Although allies said his workload had been scaled back over the last week, Mr Johnson continued working on Saturday.