Former president Pranab Mukherjee’s health condition deteriorated on Wednesday (19 August) as he developed a lung infection, the Army Research and Referral Hospital said. He has been hospitalised for the past nine days and been on ventilator support following brain surgery.

The hospital authorities said, “There has been a decline in the medical condition of Hon’ble Shri Pranab Mukherjee as he has developed features of lung infection.”

The authorities also stated that the former president continues to be on ventilator support and is currently being managed by a team of specialists.

Earlier in the day, the former president’s son Abhijit Mukherjee said that his father’s condition continued to be stable. “With all your good wishes and sincere efforts of the doctors, my father is stable now! His vital parameters continue to remain under control and manageable! Positive signs of his improvement is noticed! I request you all to pray for his speedy recovery,” Abhijit Mukherjee tweeted at 8:33am.

Mukherjee was also found to be Covid-19 positive when he was admitted on 10 August for the life-saving emergency surgery for brain clot. There has been no improvement in his health status since.

The veteran leader was admitted to the hospital at 12:07pm on 10 August in a critical condition.

Last week, Mukherjee’s daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee and also a Congress functionary requested and urged, especially media persons, not to call her citing that she needed to keep her phone free for any updates from the hospital.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)