V K Sasikala admitted to hospital for suspected Covid

According to the hospital sources, as soon as she was admitted to hospital, authorities conducted a Rapid Antigen Test on her, which has come back negative for Covid-19.

Bengaluru: Late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK chief J. Jayalalithaa’s close aide V.K. Sasikala has been admitted to Bengaluru’s Bowring Government Hospital after she complained about breathlessness, fever and back pain.

According to the health bulletin released by the Karnataka Health Department, the 63-year-old was admitted on Wednesday with comorbidities of hypertension diabetes and hypothyroidism and cough and fever.

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“On arrival to hospital, oxygen saturation at room air 79 per cent and febrile (feverish). Stable with supportive measures and antibiotics and oxygen. She will be further evaluated and monitored. Investigation reports are awaited,” the bulletin added.

According to the hospital sources, as soon as she was admitted to hospital, authorities conducted a Rapid Antigen Test on her, which has come back negative for Covid-19.

But to be doubly sure, the hospital authorities have taken a swab sample which is now being tested using the more reliable RT-PCR test to confirm if she is affected by Covid disease.

As the RT-PCR test is a time consuming one, the result is expected in a few hours, a source told reporters.

Sasikala is awaiting her release from jail in a disproportionate assets case, in which the late Chief Minister Jayalalitha was the main accused.

When she complained of health issues, she was immediately rushed to the hospital within the prison premises where she has been serving a four-year term.

The doctors at the Bengaluru jail hospital suspect Sasikala may have contracted Covid-19 since her blood oxygen level was low at the time of admission, sources claimed.

Within hours she was shifted to the Bowring hospital, Bengaluru prison officials have informed her legal team about her health condition.

Sasikala is set to be released from Bengaluru jail on January 27 after paying a Rs10 crore-fine in the disproportionate assets case.

Her release comes just months before Tamil Nadu holds Assembly elections.