Minister’s health improves, likely to be shifted out of ICU today

NEWDELHI: Delhi minister Satyendar Jain’s condition has been improving, and he is likely to be moved from the intensive care unit (ICU) to a ward by Monday, hospital officials said on Sunday.

Jain is being treated for Covid-19 at Max Healthcare Hospital in Saket, and is being monitored by a team of critical care specialists. He was administered convalescent plasma therapy on Friday, after his health deteriorated.

“His condition is stable, and he is currently under observation in the ICU. His condition has continued to improve, and there is a high possibility he will be shifted to a ward by Monday,” said an official from the hospital who asked not to be named.

He has no fever at the moment, and his oxygen levels have also significantly improved, the official said.

Convalescent plasma therapy is an experimental medical procedure, where critical Covid-19 patients are treated using plasma collected from those who have recovered from the infection.

The minister had tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday. He was admitted to the Delhi government-run Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital in Tahirpur on Monday night.

He had tested negative for Covid-19 on Tuesday. But another test the next day confirmed that he had contracted the infectious disease. His condition was stable and he was put on oxygen support at the government-run hospital intermittently.

However, the minister, who is known to have no co-morbidities, had later developed pneumonia (lung infection), a known Covid-19 complication, and also complained of breathlessness and giddiness on Friday morning.

On Friday, he was shifted to Max Hospital , where he was put on oxygen support at the ICU. Later in the day, a CT scan revealed that the pneumonic patch in his lungs had expanded.

HE HAS NO FEVER AT THE MOMENT, AND HIS OXYGEN LEVELS HAVE ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED, AN OFFICIAL SAID