A medical bulletin released by the hospital at 6 pm said, “Shri Jyoti Basu... was diagnosed with pneumonia. His condition deteriorated today morning and he had to be put upon ventillation. His present condition continued to be critical though he has shown some positive changes since the last bulletin at 11.30 am. The doctors of the medical board are constantly monitoring him. The medical board members will review his condition tomorrow at 11 am and the next medical bulletin will be issued tomorrow at 11.30 am.”

D N Agarwal, executive director of the hospital, however, said Basu was better in the evening than he was in the morning: “He has been on antibiotics. He is still critical... his condition was very serious in the morning but now it is somewhat better,” Agarwal said while releasing the medical bulletin.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to enquire about Basu’s health. Leaders of all hues, including CPM state committee secretary Biman Bose, Bengal ministers Nirupam Sen, Partha Dey and Naren Dey, Congress leader Subrata Mukherjee and Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the hospital. Football legend Chuni Goswamy and Bangladesh Deputy High Commissiner Maksud Alam too turned up.

Basu’s son, Chandan Bose, was at the hospital for four hours. A large crowd thronged the hospital gates all day as rumours floated around.

Emerging from the hospital, Biman Bose asked people not to believe anything other than the hospital bulletin. “Nothing has happened... Web sites are coming out with wrong information. Please go by what the doctors say. Do not listen to any rumour,” Bose said.

Mamata Banerjee made a similar appeal: “His medicines have been changed and new antibiotics have been given. Please do not listen to any rumour.”