Veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee on Saturday morning was moved to intensive care in the private hospital where he has been undergoing treatment for COVID-19.
Taking to Facebook a few hours later, the 85-year-old legend's daughter Poulami Bose said that, as per the team of 12 doctors attending to her father, his vital parameters are stable and he doesn't require oxygen administration at the moment. "However, he is suffering from COVID encephalopathy, and therefore he is disoriented and restless. All due care is being taken on this count," she said.
She added that there has been no deterioration on account of her father's comorbidities, including a high PSA (prostate-specific antigen) count, pneumonia tendencies and compromised lungs, which is a good sign.
Bose further thanked the actor's legions of well-wishers and fans for their good wishes and prayers and expressed regret that the family was unable to answer messages and calls individually.
News agency PTI quoted a doctor as saying that the actor had reached an 'acute confusional stage' earlier in the day. “Mr Chatterjee has been shifted to the ITU (intensive therapy unit) after experiencing restlessness and reaching an acute confusional stage. We have shifted him to the ITU for close monitoring. He has several co-morbidities. That’s why we need to be more careful,” said the doctor.
The actor was hospitalized on the morning of 6 October after experiencing a mild fever for two days. Later that day, Bose told The Times of India newspaper that his condition was stable.
The actor had started shooting for projects from August after the Bombay high court granted permission to artistes above 65 to return to work. Having stated that the virus would be around for a while and he did not have the privilege of spending days at home without working, the actor started shooting for his biopic Abhijaan, directed by Parambrata Chatterjee, in which he plays himself.
He also shot for Shyamal Basu’s Somoy and went to Bharat Lakshmi Studio on 1 October for a shoot.
The actor has been reportedly suffering from a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-related problem and was admitted to a nursing home for pneumonia treatment last year.