Hassan Heart Attacks: After 22 Deaths in 40 Days, Govt Orders Probe

There is mass hysteria in Karnataka’s Hassan district as 22 deaths due to heart attacks have been reported over a span of 40 days.

According to the latest reports, a 30-year-old man succumbed to a heart attack following a spike in blood pressure, while a 22-year-old mother, who had delivered a baby just one and a half months ago, also died of cardiac arrest in Karnataka.

Taking cognizance of the alarming rise in heart attack-related deaths in Hassan, the State government has ordered an investigation into the matter.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said that the Health Department is taking seriously the occurrence of 18 heart attacks in the district within just one month.

He added that a study would be conducted under the chairmanship of the Director of the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, which will submit a report on the rising number of heart attack cases.

The minister noted that the State government has implemented the Puneeth Rajkumar Hrudaya Jyothi Scheme, a program aimed at providing rapid diagnosis and emergency treatment for heart attack (ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction, STEMI) patients in taluk and district hospitals across Karnataka.

Rao emphasized the need for comprehensive research into the recent trend of young individuals suffering from heart attacks.

He observed that while lifestyle changes, poor diet, and non-communicable diseases seem to be contributing factors, the recent deaths in Hassan have raised serious concerns.

“To address this, a team of experts has been instructed to conduct a study and submit a report within 10 days,” he said.

According to reports, of the 22 individuals who have died, five were aged between 19 and 25, while another eight were between 25 and 45—an age group that has seen the most concerning fatalities in recent years.

Speaking in Mangaluru, the Health Minister added that, in response to the findings, the State government will launch district-wide ECG and blood pressure screening camps, particularly in rural areas. He emphasized the importance of deploying trained medical technicians and mobilizing awareness campaigns in schools, colleges, and gram panchayats.