A person who was on Friday reported as the first in Taiwan to die after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine died of a heart attack, a Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) official said yesterday.
The deceased, whose sex and age were not disclosed, had coronary artery disease, which led to a fatal heart attack, Centers for Disease Control Deputy Director-General Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥), who is the CECC’s spokesman, told a news conference, citing the autopsy report.
It was the first death listed as a possible adverse event after receiving the AstraZenenca COVID-19 vaccine since the start of the vaccination program on March 22.
The person had a history of stroke and cirrhosis, and was undergoing kidney dialysis, the CECC said in a statement on Friday.
They developed a dry cough two days after receiving the first dose of the vaccine, and later a diminished appetite, sore neck, nausea and constipation, the CECC said.
The discomfort lasted until the sixth day after the vaccination, when they vomited in the morning and lost consciousness at about noon, it said.
The person was rushed to a hospital, but was pronounced dead before arriving, the CECC said, adding that they tested negative for COVID-19.
The center reported no new adverse events yesterday. As of Friday, it had reported 1,061 incidents involving COVID-19 vaccine recipients experiencing side effects or allergic reactions, with two related to the Moderna vaccine, the rollout of which began on Wednesday.
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