With Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa continuing to receive treatment, a stream of high-profile visitors, including Kerala Governor P Sathasivam and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, on Monday visited the Apollo Hospital and enquired about her health.
The hospital, where the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary was admitted on September 22 after she complained of fever and dehydration, said she was "constantly being monitored".
"Prof Dr G Khilnani, Department of Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, visited Apollo Hospital again on October 9 and 10 and examined Honourable Chief Minister," the hospital's Chief Operating Officer, Subbiah Viswanathan, said in a release.
Khilnani, part of a three-member AIIMS panel which had examined Jayalalithaa last week, had discussions with the hospital's expert panel and "concurred with the present line of treatment" being given to the chief minister, the release said.
Jayalalithaa continues to be under treatment and "is being constantly monitored by the intensivists and other consultants in the expert panel", it added.
Necessary respiratory support, antibiotics, nutrition, supportive therapy and passive physiotherapy were being given to her, the release said.
Earlier, Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu, who visited the hospital on Sunday, described Jayalalithaa as a "fighter" and expressed confidence that she would continue to serve the people of Tamil Nadu.
"I am confident that she has a strong willpower and she is always a fighter. I am confident that she will fight back, become normal and continue to serve the people of Tamil Nadu and that is my wish," he told reporters after making a "courtesy call" on Governor Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao at Raj Bhavan.
Kerala Governor P Sathasivam, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi also visited the hospital and quoted the doctors as saying that Jayalalithaa "was recovering".
Vijayan, accompanied by Sathasivam, visited the hospital and held discussions with hospital CMD Prathap Reddy.
"We met Dr Prathap Reddy and the other doctors providing treatment to the chief minister. The specialists informed us that she was responding well to the treatment," Sathasivam told reporters.
"Within a short period, she is likely to be discharged and it is possible for her to take charge of the administration. We also pray for her speedy recovery," he said.
Vijayan said the two had come to "convey the collective good wishes of the people of Kerala".
Bedi said, she was informed by Reddy that Jayalalithaa was "progressing".
"He said, Amma (as Jayalalithaa is addressed) is under very good care and that she is progressing. I would like to pray for her to keep progressing. I have come here out of absolute respect as a neighbour as Puducherry is Tamil Nadu's neighbour and it is my duty to be here," she said.
Meanwhile, the AIADMK said "all is well" with Jayalalithaa.
"All is well with Puratchi Thalaivi Amma (revolutionary leader mother)," the official Twitter handle of the party, @AIADMKofficial, said.
Party workers and supporters continued to hold prayers across the state at different places of worship for the chief minister's speedy recovery.
Meanwhile, the police on Monday arrested two persons, including a software engineer, for allegedly spreading rumours regarding Jayalalithaa's health.
The Central Crime Branch arrested Sathish Kumar, a software engineer from Tiruchengode, for allegedly sharing such information on his Facebook page.
He "confessed" to his crime, the police said, adding that the arrest was made on a complaint from AIADMK IT Wing secretary G Ramachandran.
Another person, Madasamy, was arrested from Madurai on a complaint from a Chennai resident who alleged that an audio clip, purportedly featuring the voice of a hospital employee and referring to Jayalalithaa's health, was being circulated on the internet.
The two were booked under IPC sections dealing with "wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot" and "statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes," the police said, adding that they were remanded to judicial custody.
Steps were on to nab those behind "spreading rumours" about the chief minister's health, the police said.
Efforts were on to remove such posts from social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and WhatsApp, the police said, adding that 43 cases have been filed so far in this regard.
Such an offence, if proved, was punishable with seven years of imprisonment, the police said and warned the people against indulging in such activities.
