Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Sunday cited an Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) study and said those who had earlier suffered a severe bout of Covid-19 must not overexert themselves for a year or two to avoid heart attacks and cardiac arrests.Several deaths due to heart issues have been reported in Gujarat recently, including during 'garba' events that mark Navratri festivities, which prompted state health minister Rushikesh Patel to hold a meeting with medical experts, including cardiologists.Patel had asked experts to collect data of the deaths to find out causes and remedies.
"The ICMR has conducted a detailed study. As per this study, those who have suffered from severe COVID-19 infection should not overexert themselves. They should stay away from hard workouts, running and strenuous exercises for a short time, say a year or two, so as to avoid heart attacks," Mandaviya told reporters. During her recent visit here, Uttar Pradesh Governor and former Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel had also expressed concern over the issue. Among those who died of heart attacks was one Veer Shah, a Class 12 student from Kheda district, 28-year-old Ravi Panchal from Ahmedabad, and 55-year-old Shankar Rana from Vadodara. Sharing details of the incident with ANI, Dr Aayush Patel, MD Medicine, said, "A 17-year-old boy, Veer Shah, was playing Garba at the Garba ground in Kapadvanj when he complained of dizziness and became unresponsive. A team of volunteers at the scene immediately attended on him and performed a cardio-respiratory resuscitation. He was given three cycles of Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). We shifted him to a hospital by ambulance. However, he was declared dead at the hospital."