Coronavirus update: Soumitra Chatterjee's health deteriorates, put on ventilator

Veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee has been put on BiPap [Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure] ventilation as his health has deteriorated while undergoing treatment for COVID-19 at a private hospital. BiPap machines aid the respiratory process via a non-invasive form of ventilation.

The 85-year-old actor was hospitalized on 6 October after experiencing a mild fever for two days. On the morning of 10 October, Chatterjee was transferred to the ITU (intensive therapy unit), as he had reached an 'acute confusional stage', according to news agency PTI. Later that day, he was diagnosed with COVID encephalopathy. His daughter Poulami Bose took to Facebook to assure well-wishers that a team of 12 doctors was attending to the veteran actor.

According to a report on the website of television media company NDTV, a key concern shared by doctors is the probable relapse of prostate cancer and its spread to the actor's lungs and brain. "The plan of action shared by the hospital includes aggressive neuro assessment to find exact cause of encephalopathy or swelling of the brain that is aggravating his condition and "likely invasive airway protection,” the report read.

Chatterjee 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.