South Korean authorities are investigating the deaths of two people with pre-existing conditions who died within days of receiving the AstraZeneca/Oxford coronavirus vaccine.
Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) director Jeong Eun-kyeong told a briefing that a 63-year-old nursing home patient with cerebrovascular disease developed symptoms including a high fever after being given the vaccine four days ago.
The man died after showing symptoms of blood poisoning and pneumonia, Yonhap news agency reports.
A second nursing home patient in his 50s with a cardiac disorder and diabetes, died on Wednesday after suffering multiple heart attacks.
They had received the vaccine a day earlier.
KDCA announced it was investigating the cause of deaths but did not confirm a link to the vaccine.
Ms Eun-kyeong said: “KCDA is conducting epidemiological surveys with relevant local authorities… to confirm any link with inoculation.”
She urged people to receive a vaccine only when they are feeling in good health as she noted that no cases of fatalities have been reported from receiving vaccines developed by AstraZeneca or Pfizer/BioNTech.
The KDCA said out a total of 207 people have reported adverse reactions, including three cases of severe allergic reactions, from those who have received a jab.
An AstraZeneca spokeswoman in Seoul told Reuters the firm had no comment.
