Kate Garraway’s husband’s six-month Covid battle is now longest in the UK – and progress is ‘very, very slow’

KATE Garraway’s husband is now the country’s longest-fighting Covid-19 patient after marking six months in hospital.

Derek Draper was hospitalised on March 28 and has just spent his 184th day in and out of intensive care.

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The former lobbyist is believed to be the longest-surviving corona­virus victim in the UK still receiving treatment in hospital after such a lengthy spell.

In August, Fatima Bridle returned home following a then record-breaking 141 days in hospital, including 105 on a ventilator.

Tonight a friend of the popular telly presenter said: “Kate has been so brave and her strength is awe-inspiring.

“But the truth is that progress is very, very slow. Derek has now been hospitalised for six months which makes him one of only a handful of people who have been in hospital for this long.

“It’s incredibly tough for Kate though because some days he shows signs of improvement, and then 24 hours later he has taken a worrying turn for the worse.

“It’s literally one step forward, two steps back.

“She can’t believe Derek has been in hospital for this long, but she is so grateful that he is still here, and that gives her hope when so many have lost their lives in this pandemic.”

The heartbroken Good Morning Britain presenter has been unable to visit Derek, 53, on a regular basis due to stringent restrictions.

Instead she has been forced largely to rely on doctors Face­Timing him from his bedside.

Since falling ill with symptoms at the end of March, Derek tested positive and was then admitted to intensive care where he was put on a ventilator.

He spent several weeks in ICU, before being woken from an induced coma in July.

Since then he has been in a state of “minimum consciousness” — and has yet to utter his first word.

'MINIMUM CONSCIOUSNESS'

Derek has had at least two health scares since then, including two big falls in blood pressure and a swelling in his legs which medics feared was a clot.

He has also lost a staggering eight stone since his ordeal began.

Only last week GMB host Kate admitted her husband, and father of her two children, had suffered a “tough week”.

And speaking previously about his health battles, she said: “I have been living at the end of the phone 24/7, waiting for news of Derek.

“But the doctors have warned his condition could persist for years so I have to get on with life whilst we are waiting for him to get better.”

Ex-I’m A Celebrity star Kate, 53, also faces medical bills running into the hundreds of thousands

News of Derek’s sad anniversary comes as Sun columnist Lorraine Kelly hit out at anti-lockdown protesters in London on Saturday.

Speaking on ITV’s Lorraine today, she raged: “I was fuming at the weekend! The protests! I absolutely would love to take these people by the hand and show them the reality of (Covid-19).

“Wouldn’t you like our Kate Garraway to have a wee word with (the protesters) and tell them about the hell she’s been living through with her husband.

“It’s absolutely ridiculous and totally irresponsible.”

During the demonstrations, more than 15,000 protesters ditched their masks and rallied against the latest Government restrictions.

Earlier this month a gran of 57 was released from hospital after being treated for 135 days — and Britain’s oldest Covid survivor, 106-year-old Connie Titchen, spent three weeks battling the virus before being allowed home in April.

Fatima Bridle, 35, meanwhile, is officially the UK’s longest-suffering Covid victim to have returned home.

She has since described her survival as a “miracle”.

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