Kate Garraway’s husband has become the UK’s longest-fighting Covid-19 patient.
The ‘Good Morning Britain’ star’s partner Derek Draper has spent six months in hospital – 184 days in and out of intensive care – after being taken in on March 28, and he is thought to be the longest-surviving coronavirus victim in the country still receiving treatment.
A source told The Sun newspaper: "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."
While the situation has been difficult for the 53-year-old presenter – who has been unable to visit Derek, also 53, due to pandemic restrictions – she is glad her husband "is still here".
The insider added: "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."
Derek – who married Kate in 2005 and has kids Darcy, 14, and Billy, 11, with her – was rushed to hospital in March when he tested positive for coronavirus, and while he is now free of Covid-19, he remains in intensive care following the impact of the deadly respiratory disease.
Unfortunately, it meant Kate wasn’t able to celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary with him on September 10th.
She recently said: "It is actually Derek and I’s wedding anniversary today, 15 years today. What an extraordinary thing.
"I won’t be able to see him today, I kind of hoped I would, but it hasn’t worked out that way for the visit so, maybe it would have been a bit strange anyway. It’s a tough day, but he’s still here, there’s not a huge amount that has changed."