Police in Pakistan have arrested an uncle of Sara Sharif because they suspect he knows where her father, stepmother and another uncle, all wanted over her murder, are hiding.

Urfan Sharif fled the UK with his partner Beinash Batool, brother Faisal Malik and his five children – a day before police discovered Sara’s body at the family home in Woking, Surrey.

The three adults are wanted for questioning over Sara’s murder, leading to an international manhunt.

Sara was found at the property on August 10 by police who received a call from someone concerned by her welfare.

An autopsy has not established a cause of death, but it did show Sara had suffered ‘multiple and extensive injuries, which are likely to have been caused over a sustained and extended period of time’, Surrey police said.

As detectives in Pakistan try to locate them, sources told MailOnline that they have detained another of Mr Sharif’s brothers, Imran, because they are ‘convinced’ that he knows where the family is hiding.

Sources also revealed that Mr Sharif’s parents along with other relatives, who live in a large house in the city of Jhelum in Pakistan’s Punjab province, have also now gone into hiding.

A police source said: ‘We spoke to Imran and some of the family members last week and they insisted that they did not know where Urfan and his family are. But we don’t believe them, there’s absolutely no way that they can’t know where eight of their relatives who have come from England are. They are telling us a pack of lies.’

The source revealed that the family home in Jhelum is locked and now empty and a shop they run which adjoins their home is also locked up.

They added: ‘We managed to get hold of Imran, but the rest of his family have gone missing. They clearly have something to hide. We have got hold of one of them and will be interrogating him until he tells us the truth.’

Last week, Imran exclusively told MailOnline that Mr Sharif visited the family home after arriving in Pakistan on August 9, but came alone and that they had not seen him since.

He said: ‘After reaching Pakistan he came to us and instantly disappeared. He did not bring his family to our home. Some people say he is hiding somewhere in Jhelum in a rented house, but others said he may be gone to Mirpur where his in laws are living.’

He added: ‘Police has raided our home twice during the last week and took pictures of Urfan and other family members. We have been warned to inform police immediately soon after receiving his whereabouts.’

Imran is being questioned by police in Jhelum and officers from Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency.

Sources also told MailOnline that they have been unable to find a precise location for Ms Batool’s parents who live in the city of Mirpur, which is around two hours away from Jhelum. Imran initially claimed that Mr Sharif’s family had gone there.

The source added: ‘We have the mobile phone numbers for Sharif and the other people with him who came from the UK. We are doing our utmost to trace them electronically but it’s not proving to be very easy.’

Surrey Police revealed that Sara’s body was discovered on August 10 after Mr Sharif called them from Pakistan, which led police to search the £500,000 family council house.

Although post-mortem tests could not determine the cause of death, the results revealed bruises on her body which showed the little girl ‘had suffered multiple and extensive injuries, which are likely to have been caused over a sustained and extended period of time’.

Sara’s mother, Polish woman Olga Sharif, 36, who was married to Mr Sharif between 2009 to 2017, urged her ex-husband to ‘come forward and explain himself’.

Olga, who lives in Somerset, praised British police for doing a good job in trying to track him down.

She said: ‘The police are doing a good job finding him.’

Heartbroken Olga praised her daughter as ‘an amazing child,’ adding: ‘She was so beautiful. I can’t believe she’s dead.’

Olga hopes to bury her child back in her native Poland.

It’s rare that athletes who suffer from cardiac arrest survive and return to playing. Bronny James may have the chance to do just that.

Bronny, the son of LeBron James and an incoming freshman at USC had his heart stop at a basketball practice on Tuesday. After going unconscious, he was rushed to Cedars Sinai hospital in Los Angeles and has since been discharged. Now, his road to recovery begins.

Cardiac arrest in young athletes is not new; nor is it believed to be something brought about because of the COVID vaccine. Even prior to the pandemic, cardiac arrest was the most common cause of death in young athletes – with estimates saying about 1 in 40,000 to 1 in 80,000 youth athletes suffer from sudden cardiac death each year.

But Bronny James is not one of those deaths. Rather, thanks to quick actions from USC staff, he is alive and may look to make a return to the court. In doing so, he’d be following in the footsteps of a select few athletes who have ever done so.

DailyMail.com looks at who Bronny James could be following should he choose to come back and play the sport he loves once again.

Vincent Iwuchukwu 

This list begins in the same place that James suffered his cardiac arrest – and this only happened a year ago.

7-foot tall USC basketball player Vincent Iwuchukwu was practicing at the school’s Galen Center on July 1, 2022 after not sleeping well the night before. 

USC assistant coach, Eric Mobley – father of Cavaliers star Evan Mobley – noticed Iwuchukwu grabbed a rebound without the aggressiveness he normally does. Mobley noted the center didn’t look right and within seconds of sitting down, Iwuchukwu started convulsing and losing motor function. 

His heart was shocked back to life with a defibrillator and he was taken to a hospital for four days worth of testing and treatment. Upon release, Iwuchukwu was kept away from physical activity for three weeks.

After months of getting him back into playing shape, he made his debut with the Trojans – playing five minutes off the bench in a win over Colorado. He ended up finishing the season averaging 5.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 14 minutes a game.

Chris Pronger

By far the most accomplished player on this list, Stanley Cup champion, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and Hockey Hall-of-Famer Chris Pronger went down on the ice in 1998.

It was in the midst of the Stanley Cup playoffs that Pronger was hit in the chest with a puck against the Detroit Red Wings. His heart stopped beating due to commotio cordis – where blunt force disrupts the heart’s rhythm – and he collapsed onto the ice.

But miraculously, Pronger’s heart started beating again on its own – meaning the defenseman did not require CPR or defibrillation.

After receiving further treatment, Pronger returned to the ice for the next game of the series just two days later.

Pronger would go on to play another 13 seasons in the NHL. In that time, he would be named to six All-Star teams and would win the Hart Trophy as MVP of the league as well as the Norris Trophy for best defenseman – both in the year 2000. In 2007, he would win the Stanley Cup as a member of the Anaheim Ducks.

Keyontae Johnson

In December of 2020, Keyontae Johnson – a junior who played for the University of Florida Gators basketball team – was in the midst of a rivalry game against Florida State.

But early in the contest, he too collapsed on the court. Johnson was rushed to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital and placed in a medically induced coma for three days before returning to the UF campus in Gainesville.

He was diagnosed with Athlete’s Heart Syndrome, which is an increase in cardiac mass as a result of prolonged and systematic training. Doctors told him he might never play again.

Johnson did indeed get healthy enough to return – but did not return to a regular starting role. He transferred to Kansas State, where he was a key player for coach Jerome Tang as the Wildcats made an exciting run to the Elite Eight this season.

All that culminated in this year’s NBA Draft – where the Oklahoma City Thunder selected Johnson with the 50th overall pick in the second round. He was signed to a two-way contract on July 7.

Christian Eriksen

On one of the biggest stages in world football, in his home nation, Denmark’s star player Christian Eriksen went down – triggering a national nightmare.

It was during a UEFA Euro 2020 match against Finland in Copenhagen just before halftime when the star midfielder fell to the ground due to sudden cardiac arrest. His teammates screamed for medical staff to help him as Eriksen’s heart had stopped for five minutes.

Upon arrival, medics performed CPR and used an AED on the field before he was eventually taken off on a stretcher. About an hour after the incident happened, the Danish Football Association said that he had stabilized and was awake in the hospital. 

The game was then forced to resume, resulting in a Danish victory. Eriksen eventually received an implanted cardioverter-defibrillator to regulate his heartbeat and prevent further attacks. 

Eriksen returned to full health, but wasn’t allowed to play for his then-club Inter Milan due to Serie A rules preventing him because of the device implanted in his heart. He then moved to Brentford in January 2022 before signing a three-year deal with Manchester United that July. 

Damar Hamlin

Finally, a return to the field that has not happened yet – but is in progress.

On January 2, 2023 – in a highly anticipated Monday Night Football game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals – Bills safety Damar Hamlin made a tackle on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins.

Hamlin took blunt trauma to the chest during the tackle – leading to commotio cordis and the stopping of his heart. First responders rushed to the field, initiating CPR and defibrillation before rushing him to the hospital. 

While in the hospital, Hamlin was sedated for a number of days – but his heartbeat was restored on the field. Three days after being admitted, he was awake. By the next day, he was breathing on his own. 

After a week’s worth of tests and monitoring by doctors in Cincinnati, Hamlin was discharged and flown to Buffalo General Medical Center. There, he underwent more tests before being fully discharged.

Hamlin was medically cleared to return to the NFL in April of 2023. He continues to train with his team in preparation for the upcoming season.

Bronny James has gone out for dinner with his family at a celebrity hotspot in Los Angeles, just four days after having a cardiac arrest during basketball practice.

He was joined by his famous father LeBron, his mom Savannah, brother Bryce and younger sister Zuri. He was seen leaving the famous Italian restaurant – Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica – with LeBron and Bryce standing close by on Friday night

Bronny, 18, was taken ill on Monday morning during practice at USC and was treated at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, before being discharged later this week.

And the family headed out for dinner to mark the end of a draining few days that threatened to turn their world upside down.

They had earlier been pictured arriving at the restaurant but only with LeBron, Savannah and Zuri walking through the front door. It wasn’t immediately clear that Bronny or even younger brother Bryce, 16, was there. 

As he walked out, Bronny seemed to take the attention around him in his stride and continued texting away on his phone. 

Earlier on Friday, LeBron posted pictures on Instagram of him playing basketball with his other son, Bryce. The Lakers star wrote in a poignant caption: ‘It is my job to always remain strong and to show them the blueprint regardless of the outcome.’ 

He also referred to Bryce in the hashtags as ‘BryceMaximus’ and ‘MyTwin’.

Bronny, meanwhile, has not spoken since being taken ill but there appears to be reason for cautious optimism over his recovery.

Upon announcing that Bronny had been discharged, Cedars-Sinai said Thursday in statement: ‘Thanks to the swift and effective response by the USC athletics’ medical staff, Bronny James was successfully treated for a sudden cardiac arrest. 

‘He arrived at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center fully conscious, neurologically intact and stable. 

‘Mr. James was cared for promptly by highly-trained staff and has been discharged home, where he is resting. 

‘Although his workup will be ongoing, we are hopeful for his continued progress and are encouraged by his response, resilience, and his family and community support.’

In the 911 call on Monday morning, obtained by DailyMail.Com, someone can be heard saying: ‘We need an ambulance immediately. Listen, we need an ambulance here, now!’

The person speaking to the operator is asked to stand near the teenager while the operator guides them through letting them know paramedics are on the way.

No details of James’ condition at the time are revealed in the call, though it is made clear that there is no doctor, nurse or medical professional at the scene of the cardiac episode that could help perform CPR

LeBron, meanwhile, tweeted out a statement on Thursday thanking fans for the messages of support his family have been sent.

‘I want to thank the countless people sending my family love and prayers,’ he wrote on Twitter.

”We feel you and I’m so grateful. Everyone doing great. We have our family together, safe and healthy, and we feel your love. 

‘Will have more to say when we’re ready but I wanted to tell everyone how much your support has meant to all of us! #JamesGang.’

He was seen visiting Bronny in hospital on Tuesday wearing a mask and was said to be ‘scared and devastated’ by what had happened.

Both Bronny and Bryce are highly rated young basketball players in their own right and LeBron has been an active supporter of his two sons’ basketball dreams – even using his off days during the Los Angeles Lakers’ season to fly several hours to attend their games.

Bronny’s 16-year-old brother, Bryce, posted a photo of the two on his Instagram story, along with a heart. Bryce James is also a top basketball prospect who already has received Division I scholarship offers.

LeBron James has repeatedly said that he even hopes to play in the NBA with Bronny, who couldn’t join the league until the fall of 2024 at the earliest. 

LeBron would be entering his 22nd NBA season at that point – matching Vince Carter for the longest career in league history – with his 40th birthday looming in December 2024.

‘My last year will be played with my son,’ James said. ‘Wherever Bronny is at, that´s where I´ll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year.’

First the anti-vaxxers jumped on Christian Eriksen, alleging the Covid vaccines were to blame when the Danish footballer suffered a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020. 

Then, less than 12 months later, they claimed Pfizer‘s ‘clot shot’ was behind Australian cricket icon Shane Warne‘s sudden heart-related death.

And when NFL safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest during a Buffalo Bills match in January, so-called ‘truthers’ brandished it as the icing on their Covid conspiracy cake.

Now, however, the anti-vaxx mob have a new target: Bronny James, son of legendary NBA hooper LeBron.  

The 18-year-old, expected to follow in his father’s footsteps, was rushed to hospital on Monday after suffering a cardiac arrest during practice at the University of Southern California.

Despite it being unconfirmed when, or if, Bronny had a Covid jab, critics were quick to establish a potential link.

Even Elon Musk chipped in, fuelling the conspiracy even further. 

Posting on Twitter under a news story about Bronny’s cardiac arrest, Musk wrote: ‘We cannot ascribe everything to the vaccine, but, by the same token, we cannot ascribe nothing. Myocarditis is a known side-effect. The only question is whether it is rare or common.’

But leading doctors have dismissed the theory.

Two facts — both of which are widely misinterpreted — are central to the claims. 

One is that mRNA jabs, like Pfizer’s and Moderna’s, can cause myocarditis, an extremely rare complication that causes inflammation of the heart muscle. Young people, especially boys, are most at risk.

The other? That heart-related deaths are massively above levels seen pre-pandemic. 

Cardiologists and heart health charities say conflating the two is not only incorrect, but irresponsible. 

No drug is risk-free. And while there is a very small chance of developing myocarditis from a Covid vaccine, experts insist the benefits, in the form of the tens of thousands of lives saved, clearly outweigh any potential dangers. 

Myocarditis can, in some cases, damage the pumping function of the heart, leading to disturbance issues later in life.  

But an overwhelming majority of vaccine-induced myocarditis cases are mild, real world evidence shows.  

Symptoms generally appear within a week of being jabbed and most patients make a full recovery shortly thereafter, according to the British Heart Foundation. 

The charity, which has funded various projects into the hugely controversial topic, also insists there is no evidence vaccine recipients are at increased risk of cardiac arrest afterwards, regardless of whether it is days, or months, later.

Any such link, they argue, would have been spotted by now, given that the jabs — delivered to billions across the world — were first rolled out almost three years ago.

Infections, including Covid itself, can also trigger myocarditis. This, experts argue, is a point conveniently dismissed by anti-vaxxers. 

Challenging the second point, that cardiac-related deaths are massively above pre-pandemic levels, proves trickier.

Data undisputedly shows an uptick in England since the unprecedented virus crisis began.

Even the BHF acknowledges there have been nearly 100,000 excess cardiovascular disease deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.

Yet, when broken down by age, overall death rates among young men have not risen significantly compared to pre-pandemic levels — debunking one of the main anti-vaxxer theories that swathes are being mercilessly laid low by jabs.

And they claim the rise in excess deaths, most obvious among over-45s, is partly down to the ailing state of the NHS. 

Delays in heart health screening during the pandemic, knock-on disruption of Covid lockdowns themselves, and poor ambulance response times are just some obvious factors at play. 

A BHF spokesperson said: ‘Every second counts when someone has a heart attack.

‘Average ambulance response times for suspected heart attacks and strokes have been above 30 minutes in all but one month since the beginning of 2022, and in December 2022 they even breached 90 minutes.’

They added: ‘The pandemic has caused significant disruption to the detection and management of conditions that put millions of people at much greater risk of a heart attack or stroke, like high blood pressure.’

Experts also suspect the lingering health impacts of Covid could have also played a role in total excess deaths 

A study from January found people who got infected before the vaccine roll-out were 40 per cent more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, and five times more likely to die in the 18 months after infection.

So, what about data showing heart-related deaths in younger men, the group at the centre of concerns about myocarditis risk, have shot up since the pandemic kicked off?

Well, rates were either highest in 2020 — or no different to levels seen pre-Covid, according to data collated by the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

Rates for young cardiac deaths, defined medically as a person under 35, have since fallen to around pre-pandemic norms. 

Then, what is to blame for what feels like a spate of cardiac emergencies among stars of the sporting world? Undeniably, before Covid, instances similar to Bronny’s felt few and far between.

In fact, the only high-profile incidents involved footballers Marc-Vivien Foé and Fabrice Muamba, who both collapsed on the field due to a cardiac emergency nine years apart, stick out in people’s memory, though over a dozen high-profile incidents, mainly in America, have also been recorded in the past 40 years. 

Renowned experts in cardiac health issues in young athletes told MailOnline bluntly — there has been no rise in deaths, or incidents, since Covid vaccines were put out en masse. 

A 2012 study in the journal Circulation found that a young athlete dies of a sudden cardiac event every three days on average in the US, totalling between 100 to 150 fatalities each year. 

Dr Raghav Bhatia, research fellow at the globally respected cardiovascular clinical academic group at St George’s University of London — one of the world’s most renowned sites in this specialist branch of cardiology — said: ‘There is no published literature that supports this claim.

‘A clear distinction needs to be made between peer-reviewed robust medical literature and hear-say or individual case-reports, which are often found on social media and may often represent misinformation.’

Usually, these are down to undetected cardiac problems, he said.

For example Eriksen’s collapse was pinned on an undetected ventricular fibrillation, a heart rhythm disruption.

Meanwhile, Hamlin’s was down to case of commotio cordis, where the heart stops due to a high velocity impact from an object like a ball to the chest.

Dr Bhatia added: ‘The most important thing to remember is that, in the absence of the individual concerned coming out and talking about their experience, one should not speculate.

‘Often the underlying cause and onward management may take time.

‘Speculation is often a source of disinformation and may lead to unintended consequences.’

Campaign group the Center for Countering Digital Hate said anti-vaxx groups are latching on to such incidents to promote their message despite, in many cases, it not even being known if the person in question was vaccinated.

Imran Ahmed, the group’s chief executive, said: ‘Online anti-vaxxers are parasites, cynically exploiting tragedy to baselessly connect any injury or death of a notable person to vaccinations.’

On Musk specifically, he added: ‘It is particularly worrying that Twitter has rolled back its policy on Covid disinformation to reflect Elon Musk’s desperate need to prioritise controversy, engagement, and short-term advertising profits over the public good.

‘Anti-vaxx lies are deadly and platforms must stop allowing dedicated spreaders of disinformation from abusing their platforms and the trust of other users.’

Warne’s death in Thailand at the age of 52 in 2022 was caused by coronary artery atherosclerosis, a thickening of the arteries in the heart, that led to heart attack. 

While speculation ran rife on social media that his death was linked to a Covid vaccine, there is no proof this was the case. 

Cardiac events are more common in male and black athletes, experts say, as well as in sports considered high intensity with ‘start-stop’ activities, like basketball. 

The cause of Bronny James’s cardiac event and his vaccination status are unknown.

But he checked out of the intensive care unit within 24 hours of his admission to hospital and he is currently in stable condition, a spokesman for the James family confirmed. 

Fellow athlete, and cardiac arrest sufferer Hamlin, sent his prayers to Bronny on news of the 18-year-olds collapse.

Global reports of myocarditis following Covid vaccination, particularly in young men, spooked health chiefs in 2021, when the vaccines first started being dished out to younger demographics. 

But rates in Britain were eventually found to be lower than in the US and Israel, where concerns peaked.

Some experts attributed this to the UK’s longer intervals between doses, eight weeks compared to four, and this giving the body greater time to recover. 

This, followed by data showing the risk of myocarditis from a jab was much lower than that from a Covid infection itself, led to the jabs continuing to be recommended.

British data on vaccine safety is gathered through the UK Government’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). 

Its latest report, from November, found there had been 851 reports of myocarditis following a Covid vaccination in the UK since the start of the rollout, of which 15 were fatal. 

Considering the millions of jabs that have been dished out to Britons, this provides an overall risk of 10 suspected cases of myocarditis per million doses.

Yet this is likely to be an undercount because not all cases would have been logged or reported to official channels, though reports don’t necessarily mean a confirmed case. 

The MHRA states that studies show the risk of myocarditis from contracting the virus itself has been estimated at about 1,500 cases per million patients.

Officially less than 100 deaths from Covid vaccines have been recorded the UK. Only a tiny fraction, about three, occurred in under-30s. 

While such deaths are tragic, they pale in comparison to the almost 230,000 lives estimated to have been saved by Britain’s historic Covid inoculation campaign.

And that’s not to mention the knock-on benefits, with jabs credited for ending the cycle of paralysing lockdowns that crippled the economy and the NHS.   

Globally, Covid vaccines have been credited with saving almost 20million lives during the first year of their existence.

Like with any medication or vaccine, however, the jabs do have risks. The majority are mild, such as a sore arm, flu-like symptoms and headaches.

Some concerns were raised after vaccines were found in extremely rare cases to trigger myocarditis and pericarditis — inflammation of the heart — especially among young people.

But leading heart experts insist the majority of cases are mild and temporary, and that contracting the virus itself can also cause the condition.

So what is the risk of getting myocarditis or pericarditis after the vaccine? How would I know if I had any heart damage? And is the vaccine safe for people with heart conditions or taking heart medications?

We asked two leading experts to put these fears to bed and debunk the biggest heart myths around Covid vaccinations. 

Since 2020 has there been an increase in heart-related deaths?

Yes. A report by the British Heart Foundation in November revealed that there has been just over 30,000 excess deaths involving heart disease in England since the start of the pandemic.   

This is, on average, over 230 additional deaths a week above expected.

However, causes of this ‘relate to being unable to access care for high blood pressure, heart tests and treatment for heart disease,’ according to Dr Martin Lowe, a consultant cardiologist at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London and consultant paediatric cardiologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London.

He said the possible effects of Covid on the heart may also be to blame. 

Now Covid’s threat has been drastically blunted, the virus is no longer thought to be a driving force behind the excess heart disease death rate. 

Instead, ‘significant and widespread disruption to heart care services’ — including rapidly rising ambulance response times and ‘unacceptably long waits for diagnosis and treatment of conditions’ — is to blame, the BHF warned. 

NHS data also shows 2million fewer people were recorded as having controlled hypertension in 2021 compared to the previous year. 

Modelling indicates that this reduction in blood pressure control could lead to an estimated 11,190 and 16,702 additional heart attacks and strokes, respectively, over a three year period. 

Can the vaccines affect the heart?

In short, yes. 

Although it is ‘very rare’, an increased risk of myocarditis and pericarditis has been found with mRNA Covid vaccines — such as Moderna or Pfizer/BioNtech.

Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle, while pericarditis is inflammation of the lining around the heart, also known as the pericardium, he added. 

But, the majority of cases that occur after vaccination ‘are mild with a complete recovery’, Dr Lowe said. 

Only in ‘extremely rare’ cases of severe myocarditis do people require hospitalisation and treatment, he added. 

‘Importantly, most people who get myocarditis or pericarditis have mild disease and the vast majority make a complete recovery, even children,’ said Professor Amitava Banerjee, an honorary consultant cardiologist at University College London.

How common is that side effect? 

The risk is low. UK data suggests a risk of one case in every 20,000 vaccine doses in most studies’, Dr Lowe added.

Those aged 18-29, particularly young men, appear to be at higher risk. And it is most common after the second dose. 

But a 2022 review on myocarditis and pericarditis following vaccination, published by the University of Alberta, found there were up to 15 cases recorded per 100,000 young men.  

A 2021 review carried out by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also showed that per million second doses of mRNA Covid vaccine administered to men aged 12–29, it may trigger between 39 and 47 expected cases of myocarditis.

However, it would also prevent 11,000 Covid infections, 560 hospitalisations, 138 intensive care hospital admissions and six deaths. 

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) asks doctors to report side effects via its ‘Yellow Card’ scheme.

According to latest figures shared by UKHSA, as of November 23 the MHRA had received 851 reports of myocarditis and 579 of pericarditis linked to the Pfizer vaccination. 

By comparison, there were 241 reports of myocarditis and 226 reports of pericarditis linked to Oxford’s AstraZeneca jab and 251 reports of myocarditis and 149 of pericarditis, with Moderna.

‘It is important to note that Yellow Card data and similar vaccine surveillance data from other countries cannot be used to compare the safety profile of Covid vaccines as many factors can influence reporting,’ UKHSA said.  

How would I know if I had myocarditis after the vaccine? 

For the majority of people who suffer myocarditis, ‘the symptoms are mild’, Dr Lowe said. 

Symptoms generally appear within three to five days, and usually no more than a week after having the vaccine. 

If people experience these symptoms, especially if they do not go away, medical help should be sought. 

‘Severe chest pain, heart failure symptoms such as breathlessness, and dangerous changes in heart rhythm that cause episodes of collapse are rare, but require urgent assessment and treatment,’ Dr Lowe added. 

Other symptoms could also include signs of a viral infection such as body aches, fever and a sore throat, Professor Banerjee said. 

Cases of myocarditis are only diagnosed after proper assessments by specialists. 

Treatment of myocarditis depends on the symptoms experienced, but can include painkillers for the chest pain or medication to calm the inflammation, as well as drinking plenty of fluids and resting. 

Do the benefits of vaccination outweigh the potential risks of myocarditis and pericarditis? 

‘Absolutely yes. Anybody who says otherwise does not understand how to analyse the data,’ Professor Banerjee said.  

‘The risk of heart disease after Covid is much greater than the risk of heart disease after vaccination,’ he added.

Among people hospitalised with Covid, around one in 50 people per year will have pericarditis, he said.

Covid also carries a risk of myocarditis – and one that is far higher than the vaccine, at 1,500 cases per million infections. 

‘Other cardiovascular disease, such as heart failure, is more common and the associated risk is much higher with Covid,’ he said.   

‘Thankfully the vast majority of the these patients have mild heart inflammation only and make a full recovery,’ Dr Lowe added.  

Some people have reported feeling a faster heartbeat in the days after their Covid vaccine. This can be part of the body’s normal immune response to the vaccine and is not normally a cause for concern. 

Is the vaccine safe for people with heart conditions and taking heart medications or blood thinners like warfarin, clopidogrel or other antiplatelet drugs?

Yes. People who have heart conditions or who take heart medication such as anti-hypertensives or statins should still get the Covid vaccine, both experts said.  

They ‘absolutely’ agree that the vaccine is ‘safe and effective’ for people who take blood thinning medication.

It is ‘indeed recommended to protect against the effects of Covid infection’, Dr Lowe said. 

For people with heart diseases, chronic kidney disease or other chronic conditions and those over the age of 70, ‘vaccination is especially important’, Professor Banerjee added, as their risk of hospital admission from Covid is higher.  

Bronny James was briefly unconscious after he suffered a cardiac arrest on Monday and the speed of well-trained University of Southern California staff helped save his life. 

The 18-year-old son of LeBron James was preparing for an upcoming 10-day exhibition tour in Greece and Croatia when his heart suddenly stopped beating. 

He was resuscitated and rushed to a nearby hospital after a 911 call was made at 9.26am and has since been stabilized and released from intensive care. 

Bronny lost consciousness between his cardiac arrest and the time the ambulance arrived, according to the Los Angeles Times. 

Fast-acting university staff saved his life and it is the second time a USC player has collapsed on court within the last year.  

Bronny, a freshman basketball player at the college, collapsed on the Trojans’ Galen Center on Monday after suffering a cardiac arrest. 

The USC staff were quick to react and he was resuscitated immediately and rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. 

Bronny checked out of the intensive care unit within 24 hours and he is currently in stable condition, a spokesman for the James family confirmed.

It comes after his teammate Vince Iwuchukwu collapsed on the court at USC’s Galen Center after his heart suddenly stopped on July 1 last year. 

Three athletic trainers immediately came to his aid and one began administering CPR after less than a minute while another called 911. 

The third picked up an automated external defibrillator from the hallway and attached it to his Iwuchukwu’s chest. 

It measured his heart rhythm and said he needed a shock. Once the device was used, the teenager immediately regained consciousness and let out a loud wail. 

He was awake as the ambulance arrived and spoke to his mother over the phone. 

The speed of their reaction helped save his life and USC coach Andy Enfield praised the medical staff earlier this year. 

‘With something like this, where it’s a life-or-death situation, to perform under pressure and do what they’re trained to do at that level, it’s really just incredible,’ he said. 

‘They gave Vince just such incredible care, as quickly as could be possible in a situation like that.’ 

Iwuchukwu would return to the court last season following the installation of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in his chest, as he went on to play in 14 games for the Trojans. 

The seven-foot freshman was even reportedly told he would never play basketball again following his cardiac arrest. 

Doctors told Bronny’s parents LeBron and Savannah that he is currently on the ‘road to recovery’. 

‘If Bronny isn’t able to ever play basketball again, so be it,’ a source close to the family told DailyMail.com. ‘But those decisions are a long way away.’

‘As parents, this has been a nightmare,’ the source told DailyMail.com. ‘Going through this has been very stressful. They just want the best for Bronny. They really can’t believe that this happened and is happening.

‘There is no rush that LeBron and Savannah have to get Bronny out of the hospital, they only want him to get the best care possible and receive all the tests he needs to see what the next stage of recovery will be,’ the source continued. ‘Bronny’s health is all that matters in their world right now.’

Few details have been shared publicly about what caused Bronny’s heart to suddenly stop or what happened before the ambulance arrived on Monday morning. 

The incident is believed to have been a Code 3, which signifies the seriousness of the call as it requires ambulance lights and sirens.

‘Yesterday while practicing Bronny James suffered a cardiac arrest. Medical staff was able to treat Bronny and take him to the hospital. He is now in stable condition and no longer in ICU,’ a spokesman for the James family said on Tuesday. 

‘We ask for respect and privacy for the James family and we will update media when there is more information.

‘LeBron and Savannah wish to publicly send their deepest thanks and appreciation to the USC medical and athletic staff for their incredible work and dedication to the safety of their athletes.’

Controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate has been ordered to remain under house arrest in Romania for another 30 days after being charged with rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women, a Bucharest court ruled today.

Andrew, 36, and his brother Tristan Tate, 34, who are both dual UK-US nationals, have been at the centre of a lengthy investigation following claims they exploited women for profit.

Earlier this week both men appeared before a judge in the Romanian capital Bucharest where they live, and as he entered court Andrew told MailOnline he ‘believed in God and justice’.

Both deny the charges against them with Andrew, who grew up in Luton, Bedfordshire, insisting the charges are ‘trumped up and part of a conspiracy by the Matrix to target rich, influential men’.

Two women – Luana Radu and Georgiana Nagel – have also been jointly charged with the Tate brothers and they appeared in court alongside them on Wednesday for the 90-minute hearing.

Ahead of the court’s decision on Friday, Andrew posted on his Twitter a dig at diplomats for failing to help him and said: ‘If I was a transsexual the USA embassy would have instantly taken me out of jail and harshly condemned Romania for being transphobic.’

It had been feared that a lightning strike by judges over pensions would delay their appearance, but the case went ahead after it was decided it was of ‘top level priority’.

In their ruling the court said:’ All four defendants will remain under house arrest until further checks but for no longer than 30 days.’

A prosecution source told MailOnline:’ The judge checked the legality and the reliability of the house arrest and decided it was legal.’

After the ruling self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew posted a picture of himself on his Twitter showing him in boxing gloves with the caption:’Pain and suffering for breakfast.’

The brothers were indicted earlier this week by prosecutors in the Romanian capital of Bucharest where they both now live and have been under investigation since last year.

As part of the probe Romania’s DIICOT investigators ordered the seizure of assets from the brother including 15 high value cars, 14 luxury watches and around £440,000 in cryptocurrency.

The brothers live in a high security gated compound in Bucharest and are said to have a £10 million fortune which officials believe to includes money made after forcing women to make sexually explicit videos.

When MailOnline visited the compound on the outskirts of the city, two thick set security guards dressed in black opened the door and said the brothers were ‘unavailable’ and asked us to leave.

Andrew was previously banned from a string of social media platforms for expressing misogynistic views and hate speech.

The DIICOT law enforcement agency in Romania said in a statement after the brothers’ December arrests it had identified victims in the human trafficking case who were allegedly subjected to ‘acts of physical violence and mental coercion’ and sexually exploited by members of the group.

The agency alleged victims were lured with pretenses of ‘love’ and later intimidated, which it dubbed ‘the loverboy method’.

It added: ‘The four defendants instituted a criminal group organised on the territory of Romania but also in other countries such as the United States and Great Britain.’

DIICOT alleged the seven victims it has identified were placed under surveillance and subjected to other control tactics while being coerced into engaging in pornographic acts for the financial gain of the group.

The women are one American and six Romanians whose identities have not been revealed and they are said to be in protective custody.

In April, the Tate brothers won a tribunal appeal to be moved from police custody to house arrest while prosecutors continued to carry out their investigation.

A judge approved their release following four separate rulings to extend the Tate brothers’ stay in prison after they were initially detained in December.

The also extended to the two women who were released into house arrest alongside the brothers.

All four were ordered to stay in the buildings where they live, unless given judicial permission to leave and if convicted they face up to 13 years in jail.

Commenting on the decision Andrew wrote on Twitter: ‘After 176 days of imprisonment, both in the dungeron and in my home – the legal limit of holding a man without charge expired.

‘They instantly charged me – and asked the judge to extend house arrest. The judge has agreed this morning.

‘I remain locked in my house. I have not been free since December of last year.’

While in another rant minutes later he added:’ Imagine that I was held until the absolute limit of jail conditions without charge, down to the last few hours.

‘If they had a case, why wait so long. Then charged last second with who knows what – and all of the arrest conditions extended indefinitely. Forever jail.’

Earlier this month, a fourth British woman claimed she she was victim of sexual assault by the influencer, alleging the he choked her until she lost consciousness.

The 30-year-old has joined a civil claim for damages against Tate, after three other women said in April that they intended to begin proceedings.

A dual citizen of the United States and Britain, former kickboxer Andrew Tate moved to Romania years ago, after first starting a webcam business in the UK.

In 2016, Tate appeared on the ‘Big Brother’ reality television show in Britain but was removed after a video emerged showing him attacking a woman.

He then turned to social media platforms to promote his divisive views. He currently has 6.9 million followers on Twitter.

Giving tips on how to be successful, along with misogynistic and sometimes violent maxims, his videos have made him one of the world’s best-known influencers.

‘I am absolutely sexist, and I’m absolutely a misogynist,’ Tate said in a 2021 interview.

Last week, a British law firm served Andrew Tate with legal papers with four women threatening him with a lawsuit in the English courts over allegations of sexual assault.

A statement from the law firm described the women’s allegations ‘including violent rapes, serious physical assault, and controlling and coercive behaviour.’