Kate Garraway says doctors don’t know if husband Derek Draper will recover from coronavirus

Kate Garraway has returned to Good Morning Britain to confirm reports that her husband, Derek Draper, has “woken up” from his coma after contracting coronavirus.

Ms Garraway said that Mr Draper is now awake, after remaining comatose for several weeks, yet he remains in a minimal state of consciousness.

When did Derek Draper contract coronavirus?

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Former political lobbyist, Draper, who has been married to Garraway since 2005, contracted the virus at the end of March and was admitted to hospital and put into a medically induced coma on 5 April.

During her first studio appearance since March, Ms Garraway explained that, while Mr Draper was slowly recovering, it remains unknown “how much better he can get.”

“He was induced into the coma as a way of resting the lungs,” she said.

She added that, while doctors have roused him out of a deep coma, he is struggling to fully wake up.

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“Derek is in a minimum state of consciousness but we have no real knowledge of what he can see and hear and feel,” said Ms Garraway.

“His lungs are starting to recover a little bit, his kidneys are doing better, his liver is doing better. But they don’t know how much better he can get.”

However, the ITV presenter added, “Of course there is fantastic hope [in the fact] that he is still alive… the doctors do keep saying that it is a miracle.”

When will Garraway return to Good Morning Britain?

Kate Garraway stepped down from her TV presenting duties when her husband fell ill back in March. She has now said she will make a full return to the show on Monday 13 July.

“I’ve got to get on and do things I’m good at,” she said.

“I’m going to come back on Monday if you’ll have me!

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"I've been trying to keep everything going and I'm not especially different. Everyone is having to get on with sadness, grief and loss, so if I come back we're all in the same boat."

Garraway explained that if her husband was conscious, he would be urging her to return to work in order to provide a sense of safety and security for the couple's two children, Darcey and Billy.

She explained, “Derek would not just be saying, ‘Go back.’ He would be saying ‘Why haven’t you done it before?’

“As he got in the ambulance he said, ‘Go inside and make them [the kids] feel safe.'

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“My job now is to make them feel safe, and like they have a future and a world. And whatever happens with Derek, we hope and believe he can come back to us.”

Viewer support

There has been an outpouring of support from viewers of Good Morning Britain, who have taken to social media to praise Garraway for her bravery, and express their sympathy for the presenter’s family.

One fan wrote on Twitter, “She deserves a applaud herself for actually being so so strong and facing the public - this is such a sad time Kate however as a nation we will pray for you and your family !! Come on let’s keep believing !!!!! #DontStopBelieving”

While another wrote, “@kategarraway you have shown so much courage and amazing strength, you and your family must be going through hell. I really hope your husband pulls through this”.