Karnataka: Following the alarming heart attack in Karnataka Hassan related deaths in, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday stated that it “cannot be denied that the hasty approval and distribution of the Covid vaccine to the public could also be a reason for these deaths”.

The Karnataka CM said that the state government had taken a “serious note” of the situation and announced a committee of experts led by Dr C N Ravindranath to probe the cause of the deaths.

The panel has been instructed to submit its findings within 10 days.

Karnataka’s Hassan district has been gripped by heart attack-related deaths where 23 deaths have been reported in the last 40 days, including four on June 30 alone. Majority of the victims were aged between 19-45 years.

CM Siddaramaiah flags possible COVID vaccine link

The Karnataka CM made the announcement in a post on X.

Siddaramaiah added that the same committee was previously tasked with examining whether sudden deaths among young individuals across heart attack in Karnataka Hassan could be linked to Covid-19 vaccines or other underlying health factors.

Taking a swipe at the BJP, Siddaramaiah said:

“It cannot be denied that the hasty approval and distribution of the Covid vaccine to the public could also be a reason for these deaths, as several studies worldwide have recently indicated that COVID vaccines could be a cause for the increasing number of heart attacks. Before BJP criticize us on this matter, they should ask their conscience.”

Sharp rise in heart attack in Karnataka Hassan

Yesterday, the Karnataka district recorded four deaths due to heart attack in Karnataka Hassan.

According to a report by India Today, the four victims included:

• 50-year-old woman who collapsed after feeling fatigued,
• a 58-year-old college lecturer who died while having tea,
• a 57-year-old D-group employee who passed away after he was hospitalized for chest pain,
• and a 63-year-old man who collapsed after chest discomfort.

The sharp spike in heart attack cases has resulted in an 8 per cent surge in patient footfall at Bengaluru’s Jayadeva Hospital over the past two weeks, mentioned a report by India Today.

The patients at the hospital are majorly from Hassan and surrounding districts. Doctors say many are coming in for precautionary check-ups amid growing concerns, added the report.

As per the District Health and Family Welfare Department, Hassan has reported 507 heart attack cases and 190 deaths in the past two years. However, the recent spike in fatalities among younger individuals has raised serious concern among health officials.