South Korea Covid: Two nursing home patients die after having vaccine

South Korea is investigating deaths of two people with pre-existing conditions who died within days of receiving AstraZeneca vaccine

  • 63-year-old nursing home patient with condition affecting blood vessels in his brain died Tuesday, four days after getting AstraZeneca vaccine 
  • Man had a fever, cause of death was given as blood poisoning and pneumonia
  • Second man in his 50s with heart problems and diabetes died Wednesday just a day after getting the vaccine and suffering multiple heart attacks
  • South Korea did not link deaths to the jab, but said it is investigating any link 

South Korea is investigating the deaths of two people with pre-existing conditions who died shortly after being given AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine. 

One victim – a 63-year-old man and nursing home patient with a condition affecting blood vessels in his brain – died Tuesday four days after receiving the jab.

The second victim – also male and a nursing home patient in his 50s with heart problems and diabetes – died Wednesday, just a day after getting the jab.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency did not link the deaths to the vaccine, but said it is investigating.

South Korea is investigating the deaths of two men - both nursing home patients with pre-existing conditions - who died days after getting AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine (file image)

South Korea is investigating the deaths of two men – both nursing home patients with pre-existing conditions – who died days after getting AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccine (file image)

Jeong Eun-kyeong, director of the agency, said the first man had developed symptoms including a high fever after being given the jab.

His cause of death was given as blood poisoning and pneumonia.

The second man suffered multiple heart attacks before his death on Tuesday. 

‘KDCA is conducting epidemiological surveys with relevant local authorities… to confirm any link with inoculation,’ said Jeong.

An AstraZeneca spokeswoman in Seoul said the company had no comment.

Jeong noted that there were no cases of fatalities from receiving COVID-19 vaccines developed by AstraZeneca or Pfizer/BioNTech. 

However, did urge people to take the shot when they are feeling in good health.

The KDCA said that out of the people who had received the coronavirus vaccines, 207 had adverse reactions, including three cases of severe allergic reactions, known as anaphylaxis.

South Korea began vaccinating its population last week. By Tuesday midnight, 85,904 people had received the first doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and 1,524 had been given Pfizer shots, KDCA said in a statement.

South Korea reported 444 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, up from 344 on Monday, raising the country’s tally to 90,816 infections, with 1,612 deaths.

South Korea began vaccinating its population last week, and has so-far given the AstraZenca jab to 86,000 people (pictured, people wait to be vaccinated at a gym in Yeosu)

South Korea began vaccinating its population last week, and has so-far given the AstraZenca jab to 86,000 people (pictured, people wait to be vaccinated at a gym in Yeosu)

source: dailymail.co.uk