The Times of India reported that he started complaining of chest pain while working out at his gym in the morning. He was brought to a hospital in Bengaluru for treatment, but doctors were ultimately unable to save him.
A statement released by Vikram Hospital stated: “[Puneeth] Rajkumar aged 46 years was brought to the emergency department, Vikram Hospital with history of chest pain at 11:40 am. He was non responsive and was in Cardiac Asystole and Advanced cardiac resuscitation has been initiated.” He died that afternoon.
Rajkumar was a popular actor, singer, producer and television presenter who was best known for his work in the Kannada cinema.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarked that “this was no age to go,” while the Chief Minister of the Karnataka state, Basavaraj Bommai, called him the area’s “most loved superstar” and said it was “A huge personal loss and one that’s difficult to come to terms with.”
The Bollywood star had been tapped by the Indian government to promote coronavirus vaccines and lockdowns to the Indian public, and the idea that it could have been the vaccine that caused his death is gaining traction given the link between COVID-19 vaccines and heart problems as well as Rajkumar’s excellent overall fitness and young age.
India's thenewsminute.com reported: “A yoga practitioner and a strong advocate of healthy living, Puneeth is known to be one of the healthiest and fittest actors in the south Indian film industry.” He was known for encouraging fans and aspiring actors to take good care of their bodies.
Tweets by the actor indicate that he received his first dose of the vaccine in April, when he took the opportunity to encourage all of his fans aged 45 and above to get the jab. It is not known which vaccine he received or when he received the second dose. However, India is reportedly only using three vaccines: the Russian-made Sputnik V, Covaxin by the Indian pharmaceutical firm Bharat Biotech, and the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.
Several of the actor's fans took to social media to question whether or not his death could be linked to the vaccine, with some pointing out the timing between his vaccination and cardiac arrest.
Heart inflammation prompts FDA warning on COVID-19 vaccines
It is well documented that many of the popular COVID vaccines being used right now can have side effects that impact the heart. In particular, they have been linked to two conditions that involve inflammation of the heart that are sometimes treatable and at other times can be fatal.
A higher-than-usual number of cases of heart inflammation are being reported after COVID-19 vaccination, particularly among young men after getting their second dose of one of the mRNA vaccines. Thousands of cases of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, and pericarditis, an inflammation of the tissue surrounding the heart, have been reported, and the severity can range from mild to life-threatening.
The FDA added a warning on the fact sheets for patients and providers on both the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines to include the risk of myocarditis and pericarditis. People who have gotten these vaccines should look out for side effects such as shortness of breath, chest pain and the sensation of a pounding heart and seek immediate medical help if any of these symptoms occur, especially if it happens during the first week after receiving the vaccine.
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