VK Sasikala tests positive for COVID-19, develops severe acute respiratory illness; hospital says health stable

Expelled AIADMK leader VK Sasikala, serving a jail term and shifted to a hospital in Bengaluru with complaints of fever and breathlessness, tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday, an official bulletin said. Sasikala, admitted to the Bowring Hospital on Wednesday, is presently in the dedicated COVID-19 Centre of the Victoria Hospital in the city and her condition was stable, hospital sources added. She had developed symptoms of Severe Acute Respiratory Illness, the very feature of COVID-19, but her previous Rapid Antigen and RT-PCR test reports turned negative. However, on suspicion, fresh tests were conducted on Thursday, which confirmed the COVID-19 infection, they said. A Victoria Hospital health bulletin issued late on Thursday said, “COVID-19 Pneumonia (severe based on CT Scan - 16/25), hypertension, hypothyroidism on treatment.” Serving a four year imprisonment in a corruption case at the Parappana Agrahara Prison here, Sasikala, a close aide of late Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa, had complained of fever and breathlessness on Wednesday, a week before her slated release on 27 January. She was admitted to the Bowring and Lady Curzon Medical College and Research Institute, also known as Bowring Hospital. Earlier in the day, Bowring Hospital Director Dr Manoj Kumar H V said Sasikala’s oxygen saturation level was 80 (against the normal of 95 and above) on Wednesday evening when she was admitted to the hospital. “She had breathlessness. Before that she had a fever. Accordingly we gave her treatment. Now her oxygen saturation level is normal, which is 96. Her condition is stable now,” Kumar told reporters. According to him, she took a stroll in the morning. Sasikala’s nephew and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary TTV Dhinakaran, who rushed here on learning about her illness, told reporters she was stable. “I got the reliable information that her health is stable. Doctors are looking after her very well.Good care is given. They are monitoring her,” Dhinakaran said. Sasikala was sentenced to four years imprisonment in February 2017 in the Rs 66 crore disproportionate assets case.