DMK MLA dies of Covid-19 in Chennai

J Anbazhagan, Tamil Nadu MLA and one of the DMK's most prominent faces in the state, died in Chennai after battling coronavirus for over a week. Anbazhagan, 61, was admitted to hospital on June 2 over "severe acute respiratory distress" and had tested positive for Covid-19. He was placed on ventilator support a day when his breathing trouble worsened. His cardiac function dropped and a chronic kidney disease also contributed to his critical condition. The MLA had also been on medication for years after a liver transplant. In a statement, the private hospital said: "The Covid- 19 pneumonia rapidly deteriorated in spite of full medical support and he succumbed to his illness. Anbazhagan, a three-time MLA, is the first prominent political leader to fall victim of coronavirus in Tamil Nadu.