TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Penghu County Magistrate Chen Kuang-fu’s (陳光復) condition is improving after surgery, reports said Thursday.

Chen, 70, fell while descending a flight of stairs at a public event and hit his head Tuesday. He lost consciousness and his heartbeat stopped before he was transferred from a local hospital to Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital for emergency surgery.

Doctors and relatives released statements Thursday saying his condition was improving, per UDN. After Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) visited Chen on Thursday morning, his medical team said the next week would be a critical period.

Chen’s family said his condition was stable and showed signs of improvement. They added he would rest for a short time before resuming his responsibilities and completing projects on behalf of the people of Penghu.

Chen led the county government from 2014 to 2018 and again from 2022. The DPP nominated him to run for another term in the Nov. 28 elections.