Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek doing well: Nanavati Hospital

A day after actor Amitabh Bachchan, 77, and his actor-son Abhishek, 44, got admitted to Nanavati Hospital, after testing positive for Covid-19, two more members of the family – his daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, 46, and eight-year-old granddaughter Aaradhya – tested positive on Sunday. Four bungalows of the Bachchan family in Juhu-Vile Parle area have been sealed and declared containment zones.

After Bachchan and Abhishek showed mild symptoms, all members of the Bachchan family were tested using rapid antigen kits on Saturday. Bachchan’s wife Jaya, 72, daughter Shweta Nanda, 46, Aishwarya and Aaradhya tested negative. Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar, too, confirmed it. However, according to the protocol, they were then tested using the RT-PCR method, in which Aishwarya and Aaradhya tested positive, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials said. Jaya Bachchan will be tested again later to overrule any negative reporting.

Later in the evening, Abhishek tweeted: “Aishwarya and Aaradhya have also tested Covid-19 positive. They will be self-quarantining at home. BMC has been updated of their situation and are doing the needful. The rest of the family including my mother have tested negative. Thank you all for your wishes and prayers.” He also wrote: “My father and I remain in hospital till the doctors decide otherwise. Everyone please remain cautious and safe. Please follow all rules!”

Vishwas Mote, assistant municipal commissioner, K-West ward of BMC, said, “The four bungalows – Jalsa, Janak, Pratiksha and Vatsa – have been sanitised and declared containment zones. We are conducting contact-tracing of all staff members.”

BMC in a statement issued on Sunday afternoon said, “Thirty staff members working for the Bachchan family have been tested for Covid-19. In Jalsa bungalow, there is space for isolation and the staff members will be kept there. If any assistance/facility of the BMC is required, we will take necessary steps for the same.”

Dr Abdul Samad Ansari, director of the critical care unit of Nanavati Hospital and treating doctor of Bachchan and Abhishek, said, “Both of them are doing well. We have given them symptomatic medicines.”

Dr Pratit Samdani, internal medicine expert from Breach Candy Hospital, said considering Bachchan’s age, doctors have to be more cautious while treating him. “Data all across the globe have shown that patients above the age of 65 with co-morbidities develop complications after 10 days of getting exposed to the virus. They develop a cytokine storm when inflammation begins in organs, especially in lungs. This puts Mr Amitabh Bachchan at a higher risk than his son who is younger,” said Samdani.

Bachchan was also diagnosed with tuberculosis in 2000, which weakens the lungs. Dr Samdani said, “It won’t be a problem as it happened two decades ago. His age will be an issue. Almost 15% of people above the age of 65 develop complications and need ventilator support,” he said.

Meanwhile, BMC also sealed the Governor’s office and staff quarters at Raj Bhavan, after 16 staff members were found to be Covid-19 positive. The tests of 100 staff employed at Raj Bhavan were done on Saturday at the state-run Sir JJ Hospital. “Sixteen staff members of Governor House have tested positive until now. Of the 16, two had tested positive around eight days ago. After this, tests of around 100 staff members was undertaken by the Governor’s office on Saturday. Of the 100, 14 have tested positive, while reports of some samples are pending,’’ he said.

Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, in a statement, said: “I am perfectly alright, and not in self-isolation. I underwent relevant tests, the result of which came in the negative. There are no symptoms of Covid-19 either. However, considering the Covid-19 situation elsewhere, I am discharging all my official duties strictly adhering to protocols like social distancing, sanitising, wearing of masks, etc.”

Meanwhile, actor Anupam Kher tweeted saying: “This is to inform all that my mother Dulari is found Covid + (mildly). We have admitted her to Kokilaben Hospital. My brother, bhabhi & niece inspite of being careful have also tested mildly positive. I got myself tested as well & I have tested negative. BMC is informed.”

Like reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), rapid antigen test detects the presence of molecular pathogens of coronavirus in people. But unlike RT-PCR which takes eight hours for results, the latter gives reports within 30 minutes. The antigen-based test uses nasal swab samples for testing. According to protocol, every positive report from the rapid antigen testing is treated as ‘true positive’, while negative samples are mandatorily re-tested by RT-PCR process, in case of symptoms. So, when the test reports of Aishwarya and Aaradhya came negative in rapid antigen tests at the hospital on Saturday, their samples were taken for RT-PCR test. On Sunday, their RT-PCR results came positive.