Ambarish stable, but remains in ICU

Even as rumours flew thick and fast on Saturday evening that the health of Housing Minister and actor M H Ambarish has worsened, doctors said he was stable.

Doctors at Vikram Hospital in the City, where Ambarish was admitted on Friday night after he complained of breathlessness, said he was under constant medical observation in the ICU.

Dr Satish, chief pulmonologist, told Deccan Herald on Saturday that Ambarish was put on ventilator and liquid diet, but he was conscious.

“We are feeding him through Ryles feeding tubes. He has recovered from fever,” he added.

Hospital sources said efforts were being made to cure his respiratory ailment. He was likely to be discharged in a couple of days. Ambarish’s actor-wife Sumalatha expressed confidence that he would resume routine work in a week.

A host of prominent personalities visited the hospital on Saturday. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, KPCC president G Parameshwara, JD-S leaders Zameer Ahmed Khan and N Cheluvarayaswamy, actors Puneeth Rajkumar, Jaggesh, Leelavathi, Vinod Raj, Pooja Gandhi and Srinagara Kitty were among the visitors.

Meanwhile, members of the Ambarish Fans’ Association staged a protest in front of the hospital, after the doctors denied them entry.  They sat on a pavement and prayed for the actor’s speedy recovery.

Police stationed a Karnataka State Reserve Police platoon near the hospital to prevent any untoward incident.

“Ambarish is recovering fast. The doctors did not permit anybody to go inside the ICU to prevent the risk of infection as he is suffering from a respiratory problem. There is no need to panic,” Bangalore City Police Commissioner Raghavendra H Auradkar said.