Days after testing positive for the COVID-19 viral infection, DMK's General Secretary Durai Murugan has on Monday admitted to a hospital in Chennai for further treatments as he battles the pandemic. The development has come a week after the Tamil Nadu assembly polls, in which he contested from the Katpadi constituency. 

Tamil Nadu had hosted the crucial assembly polls on April 6 and Durai Murugan has contested in the polls from the DMK's ticket to seek re-election to the assembly. He was one of the active DMK leaders who had taken part in the heated election campaigns and on April 8, he was confirmed to have contracted the novel coronavirus. The 83-year-old DMK stalwart had initially isolated himself at his residence. 

Durai Murugan has on Monday moved to the hospital in Chennai and the unanticipated development had shocked the DMK leaders and members. According to reports, Durai Murugan has been getting treated at Rela Hospital in Chrompet, Chennai and his sudden hospitalization has stirred several speculations about his health condition. 

Amid such speculations, the hospital has on Monday released an official statement concerning Durai Murugan's health condition. In a statement, the hospital said, "Thiru. Durai Murugan tested positive for COVID-19 and he got admitted to Rela Hospital for further medical investigations and close monitoring. He is very stable now and with no cause for concern and a panel of doctors is closely monitoring his parameters and health condition."

Several DMK leaders and members have been expressing their wishes to the party's General Secretary for a speedy recovery. Earlier, DMK MP Kanimozhi had tested positive for the viral infection after which she was getting treated at the Apollo Hospitals in Chennai. Apart from Kanimozhi and Durai Murugan, Makkal Needhi Maiam's candidates Santhosh Babu and Ponraj, who contested in Velachery and Anna Nagar constituencies respectively had tested positive for the COVID-19 viral infection amid the campaign rallies.

Santhosh Babu had unveiled his campaign on social media and interacted with the voters virtually while getting treatment in the hospital. Manithaneya Makkal Katchi's Chief Jawahirullah had tested positive for the pandemic days ahead of the polls. He has contested in the Papanasam Assembly constituency in the DMK alliance. Tamil Nadu had gone through the single-phase poll on Tuesday and the votes will be counted on May 2, during which the results would be announced. 

According to the state health department, Tamil Nadu has reported 9,33,434 COVID-19 cases so far as of Sunday of which 41,955 are active, 8,78,571 have been discharged, and 12,908 had succumbed to the viral infection. On Sunday alone, the state has reported 6,618 fresh cases, for the first time in seven months, 2,314 discharges, and 22 deaths.