Govt researching link between recent spate of heart attacks and COVID-19: Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has said that the government has commissioned research to probe the link between the recent spate of heart attacks and COVID-19. In an interview, the minister said that results are likely in the next two-three months. 

The minister, in an interview with NDTV, said, “The government has commissioned research to find the link between the recent spate of heart attacks in young people with Covid, and the results are expected in two-three months.”

He further added that many young artistes, athletes, sportspersons died on stage while performing and that it needs to be investigated. 

The minister also spoke about the increasing cases of COVID-19 in the country. He said that XBB1.16 sub-variant of Omicron is causing the recent surge in infections but in the ministry’s experience, sub-variants are not too dangerous. He said that once a new variant is detected they identify and isolate them in the lab and study the efficacy of vaccines on them. “So far, our vaccines have worked against all present variants," he said in the interview to the news site.

Mandaviya said that ICU beds, oxygen supply and other critical care arrangements are in place. A weekly review of preparedness is also in place. 

A top Union Health Ministry official said recently that the new COVID-19 variant poses less risk and is unlikely to increase hospitalisations in people but it is important that they remain vigilant. The strain has been isolated in the laboratory and a study has also been done on it, he added.

Meanwhile, Delhi recorded 293 fresh COVID-19 cases on Monday, with the positivity rate rising to 18.53 per cent which meant nearly one out of every five people tested turned out to be positive, according to data shared by the city health department.

Additionally, the Serum Institute of India wrote a letter to the Union Health Ministry seeking the inclusion of its COVID-19 vaccine Covovax on the CoWIN portal as a heterologous booster dose for adults. The letter was written by Prakash Kumar Singh, Director, Serum Institute of India (SII) on March 27, sources told news agency PTI.

Also read: ‘No need to worry, we are fully prepared’: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on rising Covid cases