New Delhi, 2 July

The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday said extensive studies have conclusively established no linkages between coronavirus vaccines and sudden deaths, responding to State Chief Minister Siddaramaiah connecting the surge in heart-related deaths in Hassan district to the Covid vaccine.

Siddaramaiah had on Tuesday said "hasty approval and distribution" of the Covid vaccine could be a reason for the more than 20 deaths in Hassan. He urged everyone to visit the nearest health centre immediately for a check-up if they have symptoms such as chest pain or difficulty breathing, and not to ignore these signs.

The ministry said that sudden unexplained deaths has been investigated through several agencies in the country and these studies have conclusively established that there is no direct link between Covid-19 vaccination and reports of sudden deaths.

Studies by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) affirm that Covid-19 vaccines in India are safe and effective, with extremely rare instances of serious side effects, the ministry said in a statement.

"Scientific experts have reiterated that statements linking Covid vaccination to sudden deaths are false and misleading, and are not supported by scientific consensus," the statement said.

The two studies found that Covid-19 vaccination does not appear to increase the risk, whereas, the role of underlying health issues, genetic predisposition and risky lifestyle choices does play a role in unexplained sudden deaths, the statement said.

Sudden cardiac deaths can result from a wide range of factors, including genetics, lifestyle, pre-existing conditions, and post-Covid complications, it added.

Importantly, no major changes in the pattern of causes have been observed when compared with previous years. In majority of the unexplained death cases, genetic mutations have been identified as a possible cause of these deaths.