Zarnian Shaikh was in total denial when doctors at BYL Nair Hospital’s casualty department informed her that she had suffered a heart attack and needed immediate medical intervention. The 25-year-old school teacher, who lives in Grant Road, had a few episodes of chest pain. She was initially treated for gastric issues but was brought to Nair hospital last week after she started sweating, had unbearable chest pain and struggled to walk. Shaikh’s angiography revealed two blockages which were fixed via angioplasty and she was discharged on Tuesday. Doctors said Shaikh tested positive for Covid-19 antibodies. She neither had Covid-19 symptoms nor had taken the vaccine.

Dr Ajay Chaurasia, head of the cardiology department at Nair, said Shaikh is not a one-off case of young people, including women, having cardiac problems. They have done two dozen angioplasty procedures in the last three months. “Of the 24 angioplasty we did, 16 had Covid-19 history and underwent treatment in the second wave. Six had high antibodies of which two were vaccinated,” he said. The department is now analysing the data to understand the connection between Covid-19 and heart ailment.