Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and his wife Mira Bhattacharjee had last week tested positive for Covid-19. The CPI(M) leader was being treated at home but his wife was admitted to a hospital. Bhattacharjee had been suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other age-related ailments for quite some time. Mr. Bhattacharya, 76, was put on mechanical ventilator support at the critical care unit of the private hospital where he was admitted on December 9 afternoon as his breathing-related problems aggravated. However, his condition deteriorated on December 9 evening and he was put on mechanical ventilation. A five-member team of senior doctors, including a cardiologist and a pulmonologist, was constituted to monitor his health condition.