The condition of former President Pranab Mukherjee, who was diagnosed with the coronavirus on August 10, remains critical, the Indian Army’s Research and Referral Hospital in New Delhi said in a medial bulletin on Tuesday, according to Hindustan Times. He had undergone a brain surgery on Monday.
The hospital added that Mukherjee was on ventilator support and “haemodynamically stable”. The term refers to the functioning of the mechanics of blood circulation, meaning his blood flow in the heart and vessels are stable.
Mukherjee’s daughter and Delhi Mahila Congress chief Sharmistha Mukherjee hoped that God does whatever is best for the former president. On Twitter, she recalled how her father had won the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, in 2019 and around the same time this year he fell “critically ill”.
On Tuesday, the hospital had said that Mukherjee’s condition was critical. “Former President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee was admitted to Army Hospital (R&R) in Delhi Cantonment at 12.07 hours on August 10, 2020, in a critical condition,” the medical bulletin from the hospital read on Tuesday. “Workup at the hospital revealed a large brain clot for which he underwent emergency life-saving surgery. Post-surgery, he continues to remain critical on ventilatory support.”
The former president on Monday announced on Twitter that he was infected with the coronavirus and advised all those who had come in contact with him to isolate themselves.
Politicians cutting across party lines have wished him a speedy recovery. Defence Rajnath Singh on Monday visited him at the hospital.
“Wishing former President Shri Pranab Mukherjee a speedy recovery,” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted on Monday.
Meanwhile, residents of Pranab Mukehrjee’s ancestral place, Kirnahar in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, on Tuesday began a 72-hour-long yajna, praying for the former president’s speedy recovery, PTI reported. “The Mahamritunjay yajna will surely ensure quick recovery of Pranab babu, who is the son of Kirnahar,” chief priest of the Japeswar Shiva Mandir, where the yajna is being performed, said.
India on Wednesday reported 60,963 cases of the coronavirus, taking the overall tally to 23,29,639. The toll rose by 834 to 46,091. While there are 6,43,948 actives cases, 16,39,599 have recovered from the virus.
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