Veteran playback singer SP Balasubrahmanyam, who has been fighting COVID-19 for over a month is now extremely critical, the hospital treating him said on Thursday.

The 74-year-old signer is on maximum life support after his condition deteriorated in the last 24 hours, Chennai's MGM Healthcare hospital said in a medical bulletin.

The latest statement from the hospital read, "Thiru SP Balasubrahmanyam who had been admitted at MGM Healthcare on August 5th, remains on ECMO and other life support measures. His condition in the last 24 hours has deteriorated further warranting maximal life support and he is extremely critical. The team of experts at MGM Healthcare are closely monitoring his health condition."

“His condition in the last 24 hours has deteriorated further warranting maximal life support and he is extremely critical,” Assistant Director (Medical Services), MGM Healthcare, Dr Anuradha Baskaran said in a statement. A team of experts at the hospital are monitoring his health condition, she said.

On August 5, Balasubrahmanyam had announced that he had contracted coronavirus and in the initial days put out a video that he was likely to be discharged in a few days as he was only suffering from very mild symptoms.

On August 19, he was put on ECMO besides ventilator and a day after, when he remained critical, people from all walks of life, including celebrities and the general public, came together to pray for his early recovery and his condition stabilised soon.

Towards the end of last month, he underwent passive physiotherapy and later “actively participated in physiotherapy” and he was fully awake and responsive during that phase.

While SPB have showed major improvements in addition to testing negative for the coronavirus, the recent development has put scores of the singer's fans and well-wishers in deep worry, and social media is abuzz with prayers for the swift recovery of the legendary singer.

Actor-politician Kamal Haasan, on Thursday, visited legendary singer SP Balasubrahmanyam at MGM hospital in Chennai after learning that he is critical. According to sources, SP Charan informed Kamal Haasan about his father's health and the latter immediately rushed to the hospital.

Kamal spoke to the media briefly. He said, "SPB is currently on life support. The family is praying for his recovery. He is not keeping well. His condition is critical."