Spanish health authorities investigating death of person who had received AstraZeneca vaccine

Officials currently do not know if the death and inoculation are related

Close up shot of a health professional preparing a Covid-19 vaccine (by Roger Segura)
Close up shot of a health professional preparing a Covid-19 vaccine (by Roger Segura) / ACN

ACN | Barcelona

March 17, 2021 10:48 AM

The Spanish Medicines Agency is investigating the death of a person who had been vaccinated with AstraZeneca and who subsequently suffered an ischemic stroke, according to the ministry of health. 

The authorities are also looking into the case of another person with abdominal venous thrombosis after receiving the first dose of the vaccine. 

Currently, health officials do not know if the death and adverse effects are related to the administration of the vaccine or not. 

Health officials say that the investigation "may end up finding an alternative cause" to the adverse effects other than the administration of the vaccine. If it is attributable to the AstraZeneca inoculation, measures can be put in place to try to minimize the risk, for example, to identify factors that predispose to the occurrence of this type of blood clotting and to limit the use of the vaccine when this risk factor is known.

These two cases of possible adverse reaction to the vaccine were recorded on Tuesday and add to a third that was reported on Monday, also related to blood clotting. 

According to some media, the person who lost their life is a teacher from Marbella. 

These are three cases of 975,661 people vaccinated in all of Spain with the AstraZeneca vaccine. 

The health department also pointed out that these are three cases "which by themselves, although infrequent, can occur in the general population."