Politician from India's Tamil Nadu state, J Anbazhagan, one of the DMK party's most prominent faces died in Chennai Tuesday morning after battling coronavirus for over a week. (NDTV reports)
Anbazhagan, 61, was admitted to hospital on June 2 over "severe acute respiratory distress" and had tested positive for COVID-19 at the time. He was placed on ventilator support a day later when his breathing trouble worsened.
He was fighting acute pneumonia and his condition deteriorated on Monday evening, according to Dr Rela Institute and Medical Centre, where he was being treated.
His cardiac function dropped and a chronic kidney disease also contributed to his critical condition. The MLA had also been on medication for years after a liver transplant.
In a statement, the private hospital said: "The COVID 19 pneumonia rapidly deteriorated early this morning. In spite of full medical support including mechanical ventilation at our COVID facility he succumbed to his illness."
Anbazhagan, a three-time MLA, is the first prominent political leader to die of coronavirus in Tamil Nadu.
Chief Minister E Palaniswami and DMK chief MK Stalin have condoled the politician's death. Mr Stalin announced three-day mourning and said the DMK flag would be at half-mast at all party offices. All party events have also been called off.
Tamil Nadu is the second worst-hit state in India with over 34,000 COVID-19 cases and 307 deaths.
The opposition DMK has been targeting the AIADMK government over its coronavirus response and accused the Chief Minister of failing to tackle the crisis effectively.
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