Jayalalithaa shifted from CCU to private room

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has been shifted from Apollo Hospital's CCU to a private room in the hospital on Saturday. The latest development comes nearly two months after she was admitted to the private hospital in Chennai.

Jayalalithaa was shifted to a high-dependency intensive care room at about 5.30 pm on Saturday.

The development marks a significant improvement in the leader's health. However, sources say the 68-year-old CM still requires intermediate care and continuous monitoring.

Jayalalithaa being shifted from the CCU also comes a day after Apollo Hospital Chairman Pratap Reddy said that she has recovered completely. In his interaction with reporters on Friday, Reddy said the CM can guide and direct now and that her mental functions are “absolutely normal".

He, however, added that Jayalalithaa is still using a tracheostomy tube and said, “She is on ventilator just for 15 minutes so her lungs would expand.”  

Jayalalithaa was admitted to Apollo Hospital on September 22 with complaints of "fever and dehydration".

Doctors later said she needed a longer stay at the hospital as she had infection and was put on respiratory support. According to Apollo, a team of specialists like cardiologists, respiratory physicians, consultants for infectious diseases, diabetologist and endocrinologist was treating Jayalalithaa.

In its last medical bulletin issued on October 21, Apollo Hospitals had said Jayalalithaa "is interacting (with people) and progressing gradually".

Last week, in her first statement since her hospitalisation, the leader stated that she had taken a "rebirth" with the prayers of the people and party cadres. "What can harm me when I have your love. I am waiting to completely recover and resume my work for the people," she said.