Kate Garraway's husband Derek Draper has WOKEN from his COVID-19 coma... and is now in a 'minimum state of consciousness' (but his condition 'could persist for YEARS')

Good Morning Britain star Kate, 53, has told Hello! Magazine that her beloved spouse, 52, has finally opened his eyes and is now in 'a minimum state of consciousness' following his ongoing battle with COVID-19.

She told the publication: 'We're keeping positive and doing everything we can to bring him round. The children and I communicate with him every day on FaceTime, while a nurse holds his iPad.

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Awake: Kate Garraway's husband Derek Draper has woken from his coma [pictured last year]

'I really believe he can hear. When medical staff say, "Good morning, Derek!, he sometimes opens his eyes. We and the doctors are doing everything we can so that he can start to recover.'

Derek's initial admission to hospital happened back in March - with Kate and her family painstakingly waiting for hopeful news ever since. The couple have two children - Darcey, 14, and Billy, 10.Kate revealed at the time that the last thing he said to her before he was put in a medically-induced coma, was 'I love you, you saved my life'.

'I have been living at the end of the phone 24/7, waiting for news of Derek,' Kate went on. 'But the doctors have warned that his condition could persist for years so I have to get on with life whilst we are waiting for him to get better.

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Worrying time: Good Morning Britain star Kate, 53, has told Hello! Magazine that her beloved spouse, 52, has finally opened his eyes and is now in 'a minimum state of consciousness' following his ongoing battle with COVID-19 [pictured together in 2008]

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She said: 'I have been living at the end of the phone 24/7, waiting for news of Derek,' Kate went on. 'But the doctors have warned that his condition could persist for years so I have to get on with life whilst we are waiting for him to get better' [pictured a month ago]'Billy starts secondary school in September, but Derek's doctors say he won't be out of hospital by then.'

She went on to tell Hello! that she has been urged to return to routine and not put her life totally on hold, suggesting she go back to work on GMB and Smooth Radio soon.

Kate added that she has to continue to provide for her children and to ensure there is still 'light in their lives and hope for the future'.

She also explained that it was harder still to remain strong for the family when Derek was always their 'rock'.

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Family: Derek's initial admission to hospital happened back in March - with Kate and her family painstakingly waiting for hopeful news ever since. The couple have two children - Darcey, 14, and Billy, 10 [pictured in May]Kate recently broke her social media silence to respond to a fan who urged her to 'keep hanging on' as her husband remains in intensive care.

The TV personality had stepped back from all platforms in recent weeks, as her husband's condition had caused 'extraordinary damage'.

Kate replied to a follower's tweet who encouraged her to watch a YouTube video of Australian mountaineer Lincoln Hall who explains the stages of unconsciousness he came back from. 

Support: It comes after Kate broke her social media silence to respond to a fan who urged her to 'keep hanging on' as her husband remains in intensive care

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Miracles do happen: The fan had encouraged Kate to watch a video about Lincoln Hall, who survived a night at the summit of Mount Everest after his team had to abandon him 

The fan wrote: 'Keep going with the messages he is hanging on, for a reason, for you, the kids, he has to come back to you all and he will. 

'Try to watch the YouTube clip about Lincoln Hall, he explains about the stages of unconsciousness that he came back from. Big hugs xxx'.

Kate typed back: 'Thanks - will do xxx'. 

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Heartache: Kate broke down in tears as she revealed Derek thanked her for 'saving his life' before he slipped into a coma

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Lovely surprise: The GMB host previously revealed the couple were set to renew their wedding vows after Derek popped the question again after she left the I'm A Celebrity jungle 

The fan had encouraged Kate to watch a video about Hall, who reached the summit of Mount Everest on his second attempt in 2006, miraculously surviving the night at 8,700m on descent, after his family was told he had died. 

Kate's husband was in a comatose state in intensive care for 12 weeks after contracting coronavirus, before the recent developments.

Former lobbyist Derek is now free of COVID-19, but is suffering from serious residual complications.

REVEALED: HOW THE CRUEL LEGACY OF COVID MAY LAST A LIFETIME 

Covid-19 could leave survivors with debilitating illnesses that last for years, doctors have warned since the outbreak spiralled out of control.

One leading medic called it 'this generation's polio' - a disease that killed thousands and left a generation with life-long mobility issues.

Patients who spend weeks fighting for life in intensive care can suffer from long-term complications caused by permanent damage to their lungs and liver.

Physiotherapists also warn patients can suffer a loss of mobility, if they are stuck on hospital wards for weeks, or endure flashbacks and emotional distress.

But even patients who endure symptoms so mild they don't get admitted to hospital are plagued by fatigue, headaches and breathlessness that can linger for weeks.

Several recent studies have highlighted proof Covid-19 causes fibrosis - scarring of the lung tissue that makes it harder for the organs to work.

A research paper published in a Chinese journal in March said 'pulmonary fibrosis may be one of the major [long-term] complications in Covid-19 patients'.

Evidence is also emerging that the virus may affect the brain, causing seizures and stroke, as well as harming the liver, kidneys, heart and blood vessels.

A paper in the journal JAMA Cardiology in March reported one in five of 416 Covid-19 patients hospitalised in Wuhan, China, had suffered heart damage.

The heart problems are thought to occur as a result of the virus triggering a 'cytokine storm', where the immune system overreacts to the infection.

Number 10's panel of leading scientists - SAGE - called for studies to investigate the lasting effects of the illness.