Overview

• The ICMR-led analysis found that receiving two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine significantly reduced the odds of unexplained sudden death among adults aged 18 to 45.
• Past Covid-19 hospitalisation, family history of sudden death, binge drinking within 48 hours, recreational drug use and vigorous physical activity shortly before death were identified as key risk factors.
• Early results from an AIIMS-conducted virtual autopsy study confirmed myocardial infarction as the leading cause of sudden death, mirroring pre-pandemic patterns.
• The retrospective case-control study spanned 47 tertiary hospitals across 19 states and Union territories, comparing 729 sudden death cases with 2,916 matched controls collected between May and August 2023.
• Parliament was also informed that India’s recent summer Covid wave peaked at the end of May and subsided by mid-June, with 164 deaths reported from April to July predominantly among those with comorbidities.