Chennai, DMK legislator J. Anbazhagan, who has tested positive for Covid-19, is on ventilator support and his condition remained unchanged for the last 24 hours, according to the Dr. Rela Institute & Medical Centre here.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the hospital said that 61-year-old Anbazhagan was admitted on Tuesday with acute respiratory distress syndrome and his Covid PCR test returned positive at the time of admission.

"Initially, he was managed with oxygen therapy through face mask and later on, he was put on ventilator support as his respiratory distress worsened," the hospital said.

"He is currently getting 80 per cent oxygen through the ventilator and his condition remains unchanged for the last 24 hours," the hospital added.

Anbazhagan is the first Tamil Nadu lawmaker to test positive for coronavirus. He represents the Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni seat in the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly.