A sudden surge in heart attack-related deaths in Hassan district has prompted the local administration to launch an urgent investigation. In just 40 days, 22 people, mostly under the age of 50, have died due to suspected cardiac arrests, raising serious concerns among health officials.
On Monday alone, four more heart attack-related deaths were reported, adding to the growing toll. The victims included a 50-year-old homemaker, a government college professor, and a Class D worker. Officials confirmed that five of the deceased were aged between 19 and 25, and eight were between 25 and 45. Only a few were above 60.
In response to the alarming trend, Deputy Commissioner K.S. Lathakumari convened an emergency meeting with district health officials and announced that a special investigation would be conducted by experts from the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) team. “A detailed report will be prepared to understand the causes behind the rising number of heart attack deaths,” she said.
District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Anil Kumar said that multiple factors could be contributing to the deaths. “The exact cause will be clear only after the postmortem reports. We are looking into comorbidities and other underlying health issues,” he said.
Sudden deaths spark public concern
The spike in cardiac deaths has led to a noticeable increase in patient visits at cardiac hospitals, particularly at the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research (JICSR) in Bengaluru. Doctors reported an 8 per cent rise in outpatient numbers over the last two weeks, with many patients coming from Hassan and surrounding districts for precautionary check-ups.
According to the District Health and Family Welfare Department, Hassan has recorded 507 heart attack cases in the last two years, of which 190 were fatal. While heart disease has long been a concern in the region, the recent rise in young and middle-aged victims has triggered widespread public anxiety.
Among the recent fatalities were Naveen Kumar (31) from Arsikere, Chetan (38) from Rangolihalli, Yogesh M. (30) from Honnenahalli, and Sandhya (20), a college student from Hole Narasipura. Earlier cases include 19-year-old Abhishek from Arakalagudu and Kavana (20) from Kelavatti.
Limited STEMI scheme access
Cardiologist Dr. C.N. Manjunath, Member of Parliament from Bengaluru, Rural and a heart specialist, has pointed out a critical gap in the healthcare system in Hassan. He highlighted that the lack of implementation of the ‘STEMI’ program (ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction program) in Hassan district is a significant reason behind the increasing fatalities from heart attacks. The STEMI program is a state-run initiative aimed at reducing deaths from heart attacks by providing timely and advanced treatment through a “hub and spoke” model connecting taluk hospitals (spokes) with specialised centres like Jayadeva Hospital (hub).
Dr. Manjunath has urged immediate implementation of the STEMI program in Hassan to curb the rising death toll.
What is the STEMI Program?
The STEMI program is designed to reduce mortality from heart attacks by ensuring rapid diagnosis and treatment. It operates under the health department in collaboration with Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, currently active in 86 taluk hospitals across Karnataka. The program enables taluk hospitals to stabilise and transfer heart attack patients quickly to specialised centres for advanced care.
Statewide probe into a possible COVID or vaccine link
The state government has also launched a wider probe into the increase in sudden cardiac deaths across Karnataka, amid concerns about possible links to post-COVID complications or vaccine-related issues.
A committee chaired by Dr C.N. Manjunath, senior cardiologist and Bengaluru Rural MP, has been set up. It includes experts from NIMHANS, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases, St. John’s Medical College, BMCRI, Manipal Hospitals, and ICMR-NCDIR.
The panel will examine cases involving sudden heart attacks, strokes, and neurological symptoms and will submit a detailed report with recommendations. The decision follows directions from the Chief Minister and Health Minister after growing public concern and media attention.
“This is not an isolated issue. We need to understand whether this is part of a larger post-COVID trend or other lifestyle-related causes,” said a senior health official.
Authorities have urged residents, especially those aged between 30 and 50, to undergo routine heart health screenings and not ignore early symptoms such as chest pain, fatigue, or breathlessness.
