Speculation about Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s health intensified on Friday after Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi sent heart, lungs and anesthesia specialists to Chennai, fuelling rumours that her internal organs may be severely affected, the Hindustan Times said.

Sources told the Hindustan Times that the three specialists -- GC Khilnani of the pulmonary and respiratory medicine and critical care department, Nitish Naik of the department of cardiology and Anjan Trikha from anaesthesiology and critical care -- were flown to Chennai to ‘have a look’ at the treatment being given to the CM at Apollo Hospital, where she is admitted since September 22.

“Her exact health condition only the treating doctors will be able to tell but she has been in the hospital ICU for quite some time now, which means the infection in her blood isn’t contained,” said an AIIMS doctor, requesting anonymity.

“It usually starts with fever and dehydration and then the condition starts deteriorating .”

The chief minister’s health has triggered wild rumours across the state, despite the hospital and her party, the AIADMK, repeatedly saying that she was improving. Her political rival, DMK’s M Karunanidhi, has even asked for photographic evidence of her well-being, only to be rebuffed.

An official in the Union health ministry told the newspaper that the Tamil Nadu government directly got in touch with AIIMS authorities, asking for experts to be sent for a second opinion.

“We have an experienced faculty, and everybody can add on to the clinical experience in managing the patient. Our doctors are there just to have a look whether the line of treatment is fine or not,” said a hospital source.

“It’s more like giving a second opinion, and does not mean that there is anything lacking in managing her. She is already in a state-of-the-art facility in Chennai and doctors are doing their best to ensure she recovers fast.”

The move came on a day Apollo finally sent out a detailed health bulletin that mentioned “decongestion of lungs, nebulisation for breathing, administration of antibiotics, supportive therapy, and general nursing care” as part of her treatment. But instead of quashing the rumours that began because of the secrecy surrounding her health condition, the bulletin alarmed many supporters.

Last week, Apollo also consulted a critical care expert from London to discuss her treatment plan. She is being given strong antibiotics and is on respiratory support.

The hospital maintains the Tamil Nadu CM is stable and responding well to treatment. But her prolonged hospitalization has set alarm bells ringing with many worried that her health condition was far more serious than previously thought of. Activists have also approached the high court to force the hospital and state government to send out information about Jayalalithaa’s health but with little success.