10 die of heart attacks while playing Garba dance in India's Gujarat

NEW DELHI, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 people died of heart attacks in India's western state of Gujarat while doing Garba dance during the ongoing Navratri Hindu festival, local media reported on Monday.

The deceased ranged from teenagers to middle-aged people, with the youngest being 13-year-old hailing from Dabhoi in Vadodara district.

"Over 500 ambulance calls were made in 24 hours and the government has also issued an alert and asked the organisers of such events to take all necessary measures, including ensuring that ambulances are available to take people to hospitals if they feel unwell," local TV news channel NDTV said.

The traditional Gujarati dance of Garba is among the key features of the Navratri festival, which spans over nine nights from Oct. 15, and is performed especially in the state of Gujarat.

The local Gujarat government has issued an alert to all public hospitals and community health centers close to Garba sites, advising them to be on high alert.

Doctors have advised revellers to avoid playing Garba for long stretches of time without taking breaks.

The event organisers have also been asked to keep automated external defibrillators which can help save lives in such situations and also have some people who are trained in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) deployed at the spot.