Rajkot, Oct 3 (IANS) A concerning surge in heart attack cases among young individuals has gripped Rajkot, with five more tragic fatalities reported in the past 24 hours.

The growing toll is a matter of worry for healthcare professionals and the community alike.

Thirty-four-year-old Rashid Khan, a resident of Khokhaddal town near Rajkot, was found unconscious on Monday morning and rushed to Rajkot Civil Hospital where the doctors said he had succumbed to a heart attack.

Khan, originally from Uttar Pradesh, worked as a labourer and was the youngest of eight siblings .

Raising concerns about the escalating heart attack cases among young individuals, particularly post-Covid, senior cardiologist Dr Dinesh Raj, suggested a potential link between the pandemic and this alarming trend. High blood pressure, exacerbated by stressful lifestyles, is on the rise among young people, he added.

Similarly, 21-year-old Dhara Parmar fell unconscious and passed away at her residence of suspected cardiac arrest.

Father of Parmar -- the youngest of three sisters --, worked in a lathe factory.

Vijay Sanket (30) employed as a cook in a factory in GIDC Metoda, also collapsed and passed away, with a heart attack suspected as the cause of death.

In another incident, 45-year-old Rajesh Bhut, a resident of Kothariya town on the outskirts of Rajkot, suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while at his farm around 10 a.m on October 2.

He was pronounced dead upon arrival at Rajkot Civil Hospital.

Lalit Parihar, a 35-year-old resident of Nepal working as a security guard in a residential apartment in Rajkot, tragically collapsed at home and is believed to have succumbed to a heart attack before reaching the hospital.