Veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee, who has been admitted at Kolkata's Belle Vue Clinic for the last 19 days, has stopped responding to treatment, reports news agency PTI. Sharing the actor's health update, Arindam Kar, who is leading a team of doctors treating the thespian, said that the medical team would have to take some important and difficult decisions in the coming days. The doctor stated that the thespian's consciousness level as well as his kinetic movements have decreased in the last few days. "His consciousness is a little down compared to the last 72 hours. Not very sure which way it is heading to. We have received reports of tests and we can deduce that the COVID encephalopathy is progressing," PTI quoted Arindam Kar as saying.
Soumitra Chatterjee's lungs, blood pressure, heart and kidney are functioning well, However, his platelet count has dropped and the level of urea and sodium in his blood has gone up, said the doctor. "Despite the use of steroids and other prolonged efforts, he is not responding to treatment," said Arindam Kar
Speaking of the 85-year-old actor's health complications, the doctor said, "Though his lungs and blood pressure are still working well, there are points to be worried of. His platelet count has come down. We are trying to find out the reason for that. We will take some tough calls tomorrow. We are trying our best. But sometime the best efforts are not enough for someone who is suffering from these disease at his age," he added.
Soumitra Chatterjee was admitted to the hospital on October 6 after he tested positive for the virus the day before. The actor tested negative for COVID-19 a few weeks ago.
Soumitra Chatterjee, a recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, in his six-decade long film career, has acted in some of the finest Bengali films like Apur Sansar, the last of the Apu Trilogy, and Sakha Prasakha. He also featured in a number of films by iconic filmmakers like Mrinal Sen, Tapan Sinha. He made his debut in Satyajit Ray's 1959 film Apur Sansar. The iconic duo made 14 films together, some of which were Charulata, Devi, Teen Kanya, Ghare Baire, and Ganashatru to name a few.
(With inputs from news agency PTI)
