'On the mend' Boris Johnson prepares for return to Downing Street

While a UK newspaper report claimed that Johnson could be back at the helm after his COVID-19 recovery as early as next Monday, a senior Cabinet minister indicated that no decision had been taken on the date of his return to full-time work.

“I spoke to him yesterday (Thursday), he's cheerful, and he's ebullient and he's definitely on the mend in a big way,” said UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

“When exactly he comes back is a matter for him and his doctors,” he said.

Johnson initially went into self-isolation at his Downing Street private quarters after testing positive for the novel coronavirus but had to spend three days in intensive care at a London hospital as his condition worsened.

The 55-year-old was discharged from St Thomas' Hospital on April 12 and has been recuperating at Chequers, his prime ministerial countryside retreat in Buckinghamshire, since then.

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been deputising for him as the First Secretary of State and been in regular contact with his boss over the past few weeks.

There has been an expectation since earlier this week that Johnson was taking gradual steps towards his return to Downing Street duties full time after he spoke to US President Donald Trump over the phone on Tuesday.

Trump told a White House briefing in Washington DC on Thursday that he was “actually surprised” at how “incredible” the UK prime minister sounded during their call days before.

"He was ready to go. I'm very surprised to tell you this. He's like the old Boris – tremendous energy, tremendous drive," said Trump. Downing Street had also revealed that Johnson would be resuming his customary weekly audiences with Queen Elizabeth II from this week, conducted on Wednesday over the phone due to the social distancing lockdown in place.

Meanwhile, he has stayed in contact with his Cabinet and officials throughout his convalescence at Chequers and has reportedly been gradually increasing his workload over the last few days. All indications are that he looks set to be back in charge of the COVID-19 Cabinet meetings and briefings by next week.