Veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee, 85, has tested negative for the COVID-19 and his condition has "comparatively improved," said the Kolkata hospital where he was admitted after contracting the virus. The actor is currently on "occasional oxygen support" but he is "responding to verbal commands," said the Belle Vue Clinic where he is admitted, adding that he had no fever in the last 24 hours. Soumitra Chatterjee was admitted to the hospital on October 6, after testing positive for the virus the day before. Earlier today, a medical bulletin from Belle Vue Clinic said the veteran actor was "stable and critical" and added that his parameters wer normal other than sodium.
"Mr Chatterjee is still in a confused state which is progressive in nature with COVID-related encephalopathy and metabolic encephalopathy. He continues to be restless, arousable and has mild agitation and involuntary limb movements but no focal or generalised seizure event occurred," said the hospital on Wednesday, reported news agency PTI.
Since his admission to hospital, the actor has also been given plasma therapy on two subsequent days.
On Tuesday, Soumitra Chatterjee's daughter Poulami Bose posted a note on Facebook after an image of the actor lying in his hospital bed went viral on social media. In her post, she appealed everyone to give the actor the "privacy and respect that he so richly deserves." An excerpt from her post read: "Amidst this time of huge anxiety over the health of my COVID-afflicted father, we are extremely upset, sad and heartbroken to find unauthorized pictures of him from the ICU and his medical bulletin being shared widely on social media. Please, give him the privacy and respect that he so richly deserves. Kindly do not share such image/information and do not heed or indulge in rumor mongering."
Three days after Soumitra Chatterjee was admitted to the hospital, he was moved from a general ward to intensive care after developing COVID-19 related encephalopathy. His condition worsened after that and a team of 15 doctors was set up to monitor and treat him. On Monday, he was given respiratory assistance with a non-rebreather mask (NRBM).
Soumitra Chatterjee, in his six-decade long film career, has worked in critically acclaimed Bengali films and has collaborated with the iconic filmmaker Satyajit Ray for movies like Apur Sansar, Charulata, Devi, Teen Kanya, Ghare Baire, and Ganashatru.
