India, July 2 -- The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday firmly rejected claims made by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah linking sudden heart-related deaths in Hassan district to Covid vaccination, citing extensive studies by ICMR and AIIMS that found no such connection.

Siddaramaiah had suggested that "hasty approval and distribution" of Covid vaccines could be responsible for over 20 sudden cardiac deaths reported in Hassan in the past month. He urged people experiencing chest pain or breathing difficulty to seek immediate medical attention.

Countering these remarks, the ministry stated that thorough investigations by agencies including the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC...