BENGALURU: To address growing public concern over sudden deaths among young people, the State government has made autopsies mandatory in all cases of sudden, unexplained deaths occurring outside hospitals among individuals below the age of 45.
These deaths, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said, will now be treated as 'notifiable events' and must be officially recorded and medically examined to rule out unknown causes. A government order will soon be issued in this regard, Department officials confirmed.
The decision follows the findings of a government-commissioned pilot study that investigated the rise in cardiac deaths among younger adults post-pandemic.
The study, led by Dr KS Ravindranath, Director of the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, concluded that while there has been a 4–5 per cent increase in heart attack cases among those under 45, the causes are linked to lifestyle factors -- including obesity, smoking, diabetes, and sedentary habits -- and not to Covid-19 vaccines or the infection itself.
The expert committee was constituted in February this year following public anxiety and speculation about rising cases of sudden cardiac deaths among healthy young individuals, especially in the post-COVID period.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had ordered the study, seeking clarity on whether vaccines or long Covid were contributing factors.
Addressing the media on Monday, Gundu Rao said, “There has been an increase in heart attack cases post Covid -- about 4 to 5 percent -- but it is due to multiple lifestyle-related factors. The study has found no evidence to link these deaths with the vaccine or Covid infection.”
“To act on the findings, the state will roll out a series of preventive measures. Apart from mandatory autopsies, the government will initiate cardiac screening for school students from Class 10 onwards, annual health check-ups for all government employees, and recommend similar screenings in private offices, industries, and institutions. Lifestyle education modules will also be introduced in school curricula to promote awareness on physical activity, screen time, and healthy eating habits,” the minister said.
He added that the health department also plans to expand CPR training across the State and deploy Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in public spaces, with trained personnel stationed to handle emergencies.
Responding to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s recent remark that vaccines were introduced “hastily,” which triggered political debate, Gundu Rao clarified that the investigation was ordered not to create fear but to address public concerns with scientific evidence.
“There was public speculation, and even some in the medical community were raising questions. The CM rightly asked for facts, and we now have a report based on scientific analysis, not assumptions,” he said.
“These measures -- mandatory post-mortems, student screenings, and public health checks -- are proactive, not panic-driven. If anything, the findings should reassure people.”