Jayalalithaa, on 22 September 2016, was admitted to Apollo Hospitals in Chennai. She was, reportedly, suffering from infection and acute dehydration. On 12 October, her official duties were handed over to her aide and now CM O. Panneerselvam.
Jayalalithaa was also said to be suffering from severe pulmonary infection and septicaemia, both were cured.
She was re-admitted to the critical care unit after suffering a cardiac arrest around 5 pm, on 4 December.
The hospital released a press statement stating that her condition was "very critical". She was on life support. The hospital, on 5 December, officially announced her death 23:30 pm.
It is pertinent to mention here that Tamil actress Gautami Tadimalla (48), recently, wrote a blogpost addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which she raised questions about the "secrecy" maintained by the state government during the treatment of its late chief minister Jayalalithaa.
Gautami questioned why nobody was allowed access to her when she was admitted in the Apollo Hospitals.
"Her demise is all the more tragic and unsettling because of the circumstances over the past few months and the sheer volume of unanswered questions about our late Chief Minister's hospitalisation, treatment, reported recovery and very sudden passing.
"There has been a near total blanketing of information regarding these matters. Nobody had been allowed access to her and many dignitaries who visited her with deep concern were denied an opportunity to convey their wishes in person. Why this secrecy and isolation of a beloved public leader and the head of the Tamil Nadu government? What/whose authority restricted access to the late Chief Minister?," she wrote in blogpost.
Interestingly, both MGR and Jayalalithaa died in the month of December.