Ambulance driver died of heart attack, says preliminary PME – The Hindu

The 42-year-old ambulance driver, G. Vital Rao, who died within 24 hours of getting the COVID-19 vaccine, suffered a Myocardial Infarction (MI), also known as heart attack, according to the preliminary Post-Mortem Examination (PME) report, said Health officials.

However, it would take at least two weeks to know what triggered the heart attack and if vaccine was the cause of death. He did not suffer from any co-morbidities like diabetes or hypertension.

Vital Rao received the vaccine at Kuntala Primary Health Centre (KHC), Nirmal, on Tuesday morning and was on duty till 5 p.m. He is said to have developed chest pain at around 2.30 a.m. on Wednesday, and was declared brought dead to District Hospital, Nirmal, at 5.30 a.m. The PME was conducted on Wednesday evening, and the State AEFI committee had sent a report to the Central AEFI committee.

Director of Public Health Dr. G. Srinivasa Rao said that samples of viscera, body fluids, and parts from a few organs, have been sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), and National Institute of Virology (NIV)-Pune for further examination. This will help us know the actual cause of his death, he said.

What triggered Myocardial Infarction will be known after analysis by the central labs. It will take two to three weeks to get the report, Dr. Rao said, adding that it would take a few weeks to receive the final PME report.

Meanwhile, officials had ruled out human error during vaccination. Human errors during vaccination include not storing vaccine vials at prescribed temperatures, or administering vaccine dose at a site on body other than what is prescribed.

On Tuesday, 80 healthcare workers were given the COVID-19 vaccine at the PHC in Kuntala. Neither the ambulance driver nor any of the remaining 79 people, who got vaccinated at the PHC, developed even mild AEFI.

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Ambulance driver died of heart attack, says preliminary PME - The Hindu