For a while, a quiet but heated debate about the possible causes behind these deaths has raged on, with most pointing to either Covid-19 prevention vaccines or the aftereffects of the disease itself. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has resolved to settle the debate once and for all with the formation of an expert committee to investigate the issue.
Published Feb 07, 2025 | 8:11 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 07, 2025 | 8:11 PM
Synopsis: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the formation of an expert committee to investigate a concerning rise in unexplained sudden deaths amongst young adults, particularly focusing on potential links to COVID-19 and its vaccines. Widespread reports tell of seemingly healthy individuals who have succumbed to sudden cardiac arrests and neurological complications across the state, causing both emotional trauma and financial instability for affected families.
It’s a subject that few want to discuss openly, yet in recent months, it has become impossible to ignore. Across Karnataka, mounting reports tell of families who have lost loved ones to sudden, unexplained heart attacks, cardiac arrests and neurological complications, particularly among young adults.
From Bengaluru’s technology corridors to remote rural villages, these issues affect everyone, often claiming the lives of sole breadwinners and plunging families into socio-economic uncertainty.
For a while, a quiet but heated debate about the possible causes behind these deaths has raged on, with most pointing to either Covid-19 prevention vaccines or the aftereffects of the disease itself.
Amid rising concerns, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has resolved to settle the debate once and for all. In an official statement issued on Thursday, 6 February, he acknowledged the urgency of the growing concerns and announced the formation of an expert committee to investigate possible links between the increasing cases of unexplained deaths, Covid-19 and the Covid-19 vaccines.
Karnataka to form an expert committee to study the cause of increasing sudden death cases among younger people.
CM @siddaramaiah orders constitution of committee following suspicions of such deaths being caused due to COVID19 & COVID vaccine. pic.twitter.com/zzrhuZOjLR
— Anusha Ravi Sood (@anusharavi10) February 7, 2025
“We have a duty to ensure that no family suffers due to preventable health crises. The committee’s findings will guide us in implementing strong measures to protect the health of our people,” he said.
Siddharamiah’s decisive action was prompted by senior journalist Rajaram Tallur, who had written to the government urging an investigation into sudden deaths, emphasising their socio-economic impact on families across the state.
The newly formed expert committee, comprising scientists, medical professionals and public health experts, has been tasked with:
“It happened too suddenly,” said Kavitha R, a homemaker from Malleshwaram in Bengaluru, recounting the death of her 32-year-old husband. “He was fine one moment, playing with our children, and the next, he collapsed. The doctors said it was a cardiac arrest.” Similar tragedies have been reported across the state, indicating a growing public health crisis.
The problem isn’t just limited to Karnataka. States across India have reported similar cases. “There are hundreds of videos floating on social media where one can see people dying of cardiac arrest in the gym, while dancing, while playing sports that they were even regularly playing, those looking visibility fit are also going through neurological stroke etc,” said Ritesh N, a data analyst from Mysuru.
What’s most disturbing is the age group – young, seemingly healthy individuals in their 20s and 30s, with no prior history of heart disease, are succumbing to these sudden events. “For many families it has left more than emotional scars, it has created financial instability and shattered dreams for the future. I am constantly now worried about my own heart health,” said Raviraj NS, who lost three close relatives and friends in the past six months.
Speculation about the potential causes of these unexplained fatalities is rife with theories linking them to either the supposed adverse effects of Covid-19 vaccinations or the “after-effects” of the disease itself.
“Ever since the pandemic, things have changed. We are hearing about young people dying every other day,” says Suresh Kumar, a retired teacher from Davangere.
However, neither theory has any concrete scientific evidence thus far. A 2023 Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) study, titled Factors associated with unexplained sudden deaths among adults aged 18-45 years in India, found that Covid-19 vaccination did not increase the risk of sudden death among young Indian adults.
“Past Covid-19 hospitalisation, family history of sudden death and certain lifestyle behaviours increased the likelihood of unexplained sudden death,” the authors stated. “At the same time, family history of sudden death, hospitalisation for covid 19 and lifestyle behaviours such as recent binge drinking and vigorous-intensity physical activity were risk factors for unexplained sudden death.”
Meanwhile, globally, sudden death affects 0.8-6.2 per 100,000 young adults annually, the study estimated and noted that “Cardiovascular causes, including arrhythmia, myocardial ischaemia, cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, aortic aneurysm and valvular diseases are the most commonly reported causes of deaths.”
However, it acknowledged that in India, there have been several anecdotal reports about sudden unexplained deaths among healthy adults, purportedly linked to Covid-19 or Covid-19 vaccinations. It also found that SARS-CoV-2 infection did increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, but said conclusive evidence was scarce.
“Although there is some evidence for the increased risk of death among Covid-19 recovered individuals and among those with breakthrough infections, the evidence for sudden deaths among such individuals is scarce,” said the study.
The findings of the ICMR study, while not conclusive, emphasise the need for more careful investigation into the issue, especially since public conversation has increasingly focused on the potential long-term effects of Covid-19 and Covid-19 vaccines.
While health experts have consistently vouched for the safety and efficacy of vaccines, repeated incidents have fuelled anxiety, necessitating a thorough investigation that would provide reliable answers to the public’s pressing questions.
Meanwhile, cardiologists have concurred with the increase in number of young adults coming in with heart-related ailments, but have stopped short of going on official record confirming any one cause behind the ailments.
Dr Deepak Krishnamurthy, renowned interventional cardiologist at Cauvery Hospital, emphasised the importance of getting more research into the issues. “It is important to know whether we will find something new or the role of known risk factors that will further be reinforced,” he told South First.
“The study looks into the role of stress, sleep disorders, and pollution, which are not really recognised by most people as important in the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease. Also, to be probed is the role of overworking and lack of work-life balance, which is very common in today’s world,” he stressed.
The expert panel’s findings will play a crucial role in shaping future public health policies. This proactive measure by the Karnataka government underscores the importance of scientific research in addressing pressing health issues and mitigating the socio-economic impacts of sudden deaths.
The report from the expert committee is expected to be submitted in the coming months, paving the way for evidence-based strategies to address the issue and restore public confidence.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
