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S. Korea probes deaths of two who received AstraZeneca vaccine

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SEOUL: South Korean authorities said yesterday they are investigating the deaths of two people, both with pre-existing conditions, who died within days of receiving AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine.

A 63-year-old nursing home patient with cerebrovascular disease developed symptoms including high fever, after being given the vaccine four days ago, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) director Jeong Eun-kyeong told a briefing.

The man was moved to a larger hospital on Tuesday, but later died, Yonhap news agency reported.

Another nursing home patient in his 50s with a cardiac disorder and diabetes died yesterday after suffering multiple heart attacks, having received the vaccine a day earlier, the agency said.

KDCA said it is investigating the cause, but did not confirm any causal relationship to the vaccine.

"KDCA is conducting epidemiological surveys with relevant local authorities... to confirm any link with inoculation," she said.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong is investigating the death of a man with chronic diseases two days after he received the first shot of the Covid-19 vaccine.

The Department of Health said it has not been clear so far whether the death is related to the vaccination and an expert committee will conduct the causality assessment to ascertain the cause of the death, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The 63-year-old man died two days after receiving China's Sinovac shot on Feb 26. - REUTERS

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