Date:10/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/10/stories/2008091061401400.htm

National

Karunakaran’s condition stable

Special Correspondent

VELLORE: The condition of veteran Congress leader and former Kerala Chief Minister K. Karunakaran at the Christian Medical College Hospital here is critical but stable.

He was admitted to the intensive care unit on September 1 for treatment of sub-dural haematoma, which involves bleeding in the cranial cavity. He was shifted to a private ward on September 2 following improvement in his condition. But he was sent back to the ICU on Sunday following bronco-pneumonia, involving lung infection.

Mr. Karunakaran, 90, was brought from Thiruvananthapuram by an air-ambulance to the Naval Air Station in Arakkonam. From there, he was brought here by road.

Lionel Gnanaraj, Medical Superintendent, said on Tuesday that Mr. Karunakaran was being given antibiotics for the lung infection.

“He is recognising people and has improved over the last 48 hours. But we have to observe him on a day-to-day basis. Considering his age and the fact that he is prone to complications, we cannot say whether he has passed the critical stage,” he said.