Chennai: Actor Vivek, who was hospitalised on Friday after he suffered a cardiac arrest, passed away this morning. He was 59 and is survived by wife and two daughters.
Sources said he breathed his last at 4.45 am without responding to treatment. Political leaders, celebrities and fans wished have expressed condolence on the passing away of Vivek.
Vivek, who took the first dose of COVID vaccine jab Thursday, complained of chest pain and breathing problem and was rushed to SIMS hospital in the city.
He was admitted at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and was later put on ECMO (Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation).
Meanwhile, the hospital has said vaccine has nothing to do with the actor suffering a cardiac arrest. Talking to reporters, SIMS Hospital director, Medical Services, Dr Vijaykumar Chokkan and Health Secretary Dr J Radhakrishnan said the actor had 100 per cent block on the left artery following which blood supply to the brain was affected.
He suffered cardiac arrest because of the block and it has nothing to do with the covid vaccine.
‘This is an acute coronary syndrome with cardiogenic shock. This is a separate cardiac event. It may not be due to COVID vaccination’, Dr Vijayakumar said.
They said Vivek was brought to the hospital in an unconscious state at 11 am Friday to the emergency by his family members.
He was resuscitated in the emergency room by specialists. ‘Later, he underwent emergency coronary angiogram followed by angioplasty’, they said.