Legendary Indian sprinter Milkha Singh, who recently contracted COVID-19 infection, was on Thursday admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a top hospital in Chandigarh due to "dipping levels of oxygen" but he is in a stable condition, doctors said. "Flying Sikh Milkha Singh has been admitted in ICU in COVID-19 hospital of PGIMER today due to dipping levels of oxygen," a statement issued by Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) said. It further added that the 91-year-old has been kept under observation and is stable now .
Earlier on Sunday, Milkha Singh was discharged from a private hospital in Mohali where he received treatment for COVID-19 infection. He, however, continued to be on oxygen support at home also. A statement issued by Fortis hospital in Mohali, where he was earlier admitted, had said that the former athelete was discharged in a stable condition on the request of his family .
Milkha's 82-year-old wife Nirmal Kaur, who had also contracted COVID-19 days after her husband got the infection, and continues to be in the ICU of the Fortis Hospital. "Nirmal Milkha Singh continues to be in the ICU with fluctuating oxygen requirements," a medical bulletin issued by Fortis hospital, Mohali on Thursday said. The Fortis hospital had earlier said that the couple were being treated for COVID pneumonia.
The couple's son and ace golfer Jeev had earlier flown down to Chandigarh from Dubai while his elder sister, Mona Milkha Singh, who is a physician in the United States, had also reached India after their parents contracted the infection. Milkha is suspected to have contracted the infection from a house help.
The legendary athlete is a four-time Asian Games gold medallist and 1958 Commonwealth Games champion but his greatest performance was the fourth-place finish in the 400m final at the 1960 Rome Olympics. His timing at the Italian capital remained the national record for 38 years till Paramjeet Singh broke it in 1998. He also represented India in the 1956 and 1964 Olympics and was bestowed the Padma Shri in 1959.