Canada Records 11 Blood Clot Cases After AstraZeneca Jab, Death Toll Rises To 3 - Official

TORONTO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th May, 2021) Canadian health officials have recorded 11 blood clot cases following immunization with the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, while the death has climbed to three, Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Howard Njoo said.

The Canadian province of Quebec recorded the country's first death following immunization with the AstraZeneca shot on April 27, with a 54-year-old woman, who in spite of medical treatment succumbed to the deadly side effect. Since then, a woman in her fifties from Alberta and individual in their 60s from New Brunswick have also died, according to provincial health officials.

"As of May 6, there have been 11 cases of blood clots with low platelets following the receipt of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Canada, reported to the Federal level," Njoo told reporters on Thursday. "Sadly, two additional people from Alberta and New Brunswick, following the initial death reported in Quebec, have passed away.

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Health Canada had temporarily paused inoculation for Canadians under the age of 55 with the AstraZeneca vaccine following a recommendation from Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunizations. The immunization drive has since resumed among those over 30 eligible to receive it.

Last month, a Canadian safety review of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine concluded that blood clotting events are possibly linked to it. As a result of the review, Canadian health officials introduced a warning section indicating the "stronger link" between the blood clotting events and the AstraZeneca vaccine on the safety label.

The controversy surrounding the UK drugmaker's vaccine has undermined confidence in the shot, with the latest polling numbers showing that only 52 percent of Canadians are comfortable receiving the AstraZeneca inoculation and 40 percent of this group would reject it if offered.