'Slight decline' in Karunanidhi's health

Former Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK president M Karunanidhi's health has witnessed a "slight decline" due to age-related problems and is being monitored round the clock at his residence by doctors.

Karunanidhi, whose tracheotomy tube was replaced last week, took ill early this week and was suffering from fever.

Though his son and DMK working president M K Stalin on Wednesday said his father was fine, the Kauvery Hospital said in a statement on Thursday evening that Karunanidhi is being treated for the fever.

In a rare gesture in personality-driven Tamil Nadu politics, Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and ministers D Jayakumar and P Thangamani visited the Gopalapuram residence of Karunanidhi and met with his family members.

"There has been a slight decline in the health of DMK president and former chief minister of Tamil Nadu Dr Kalaignar M Karunanidhi due to age-related ailments. He is currently being treated for fever due to urinary tract infection with intravenous antibiotics and fluids," Dr Aravindan Selvaraj, executive director, Kauvery Hospitals, said in the statement.

Karunanidhi is being monitored and treated round the clock by a team of medical and nursing professionals, who are providing hospital-level care at his home, the statement said. He is receiving treatment at his Gopalapuram residence.

The 94-year-old DMK chief has been unwell since October 2016 and is largely confined to his home, except for brief visits to Anna Arivalayam, the DMK headquarters, and his daughter Kanimozhi's residence.

Karunanidhi underwent tracheotomy procedure in December 2016 and visits hospital every six months to replace the tube.