Kate Garraway's husband Derek has shared his first word and it's heartbreaking

Kate Garraway has revealed heartbreaking news about her husband, Derek Draper's condition as he continues to fight coronavirus in hospital.

The ITV host has said that her husband, Derek Draper, has managed to say his first word after being removed from a ventilator after a lengthy battle with coronavirus.

Reportedly, Kate was watching the doctors tend to her husband over Facetime when he mouthed the word 'pain'.

It happened when the physicians were moving his body, to prevent him from seizing up and it's the first word that Derek has been able to say since March, when he was first put on the ventilator for breathing difficulties.

Kate told The Sun, "It's a case of trying to balance belief, hope, optimism with reality.

"But we have had a breakthrough which was both amazing yet heartbreaking.

"It happened when the nurses were moving Derek, as part of his treatment, to trigger the sensation of gravity because he's been horizontal for so long."

Kate explained that this was a regular routine as hospital staff have been consistently trying to get a response from Derek over the past months but this was the first time that he was able to say how he was feeling. She described it as a breakthrough, as Derek was clearly "able to connect the feeling in his body to his brain and mouth" after he uttered the word 'pain' twice.

It comes after the Good Morning Britain presenter revealed that her husband had his tracheotomy tube removed, which was previously helping with his breathing.

She told The Sun, "[A] significant change is that they've been able to remove his tracheotomy tube - which is very positive as it means his lung have started to work and aren't solid as they were before. But he still has a long way to go."

"Had this happened back in May," She added, "I'd have been jubilant, but now I know how slow the change is, and how quickly things can slip backwards. I'm trying to keep my hope in check."

"Derek still needs help with his breathing, especially at night, and is very weak."

Recently, Kate Garraway thanked the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for their support after they told her that if it wasn't for social distancing restrictions, they'd like to give her a hug for all she'd been through. They said that she had been 'amazing' during this difficult time.

Originally admitted to hospital after being diagnosed with coronavirus in March, Derek Draper has been batting coronavirus intensely for more than 200 days and is still seriously unwell with the virus. His wife, Kate Garraway, has been sharing updates on her husband's condition throughout and is now set to make a documentary about Derek's battle with Covid-19.