Chennai, Sep 25 (IANS): Famed playback singer and Padma awardee S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, or popularly SPB or Balu in the movie world and who has recorded over 40,000 songs in 16 languages over a period of five decades died lost his battle against Covid-19 and passed away early Friday, his son S.P.Charan said.

Speaking briefly to the media outside the MGM Healthcare Charan said Balasubrahmanyam passed away at 1.04 p.m. and thanked the hospital officials for the treatment and service.

He said further details will be shared later.

On August 5, in a Facebook post, the 74-year old SPB said that he was suffering from a very mild attack of coronavirus and had got himself hospitalised to take rest.

He had said that though the doctors had advised him to stay at home and take rest, he decided to be in a hospital, as at home his family members would get concerned.

He hoped to get discharged from the hospital in two days. But it was not to be.

For sometime SPB showed some improvement in his health condition but on Thursday the hospital said his condition was extremely critical.

The MGM Healthcare on Thursday said the singer remains on ECMO and other life support systems.

"His condition in the last 24-hours has deteriorated further warranting maximal life support and he is extremely critical. The team of experts at MGM Healthcare are closely monitoring his health condition," the hospital said.