Rafael Silva, a 36-year-old Brazilian journalist and TV presenter of TV Alterosa, suffered a cardiac arrest on live TV this week.
Silva was apparently fine during the Alert Alterosa program on Monday (Jan. 3), until his speech began slowing down and he fell to the ground. He was taken to the Humanitas Hospital, where he reportedly had three more heart attacks. Silva is currently in the ICU.
Kadu Lopes, a reporter for SBT, a Network affiliated to TV Alerosa, said in a live video that the journalist has already been extubated, is conscious and talking to his family.
“The suspicion, according to the doctor who is treating him, is that Rafael has a congenital heart disease, that is, genetics. The suspicion is that he was born with this heart problem,” said Lopes, belying rumors that the sudden illness would be related to COVID-19 vaccination.
On December 28, Silva tweeted that he would receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot. “Today I will take the booster dose against COVID-19. Yes, I always cry and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to get vaccinated. I’m really, really sorry for the people who didn’t have this opportunity,” the tweet read.
Later the same day he tweeted a picture of himself after receiving the booster, saying : “Long live the third dose. I’m sorry for the people who didn’t have this opportunity. Vaccines save lives.”
But Lopes rejects that the vaccination had anything to do with it. “Experts in our region have already ruled out the issue of the 3rd dose [of the COVID-19 vaccine]. Many people, even evil, who are doing politicking on top of vaccination, said that he had this sudden evil because of the 3rd dose,” he said.