New Zealand Reports First Case Of Death Due To Pfizer Vaccine

JAKARTA - New Zealand reported its first recorded death related to US manufacturer Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, the health ministry said on Monday, after a woman suffered a rare side effect that caused inflammation of her heart muscle.

The news of the death comes as the Kiwi Country is stepping up efforts to combat the Delta variant of the COVID-19 outbreak, after nearly six months of being virus-free. This follows a review by an independent panel that monitors the safety of the vaccine.

"This is the first case in New Zealand where a death in the days following vaccination was associated with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine," the ministry said in a statement, without giving the woman's age.

The vaccine monitoring panel linked the death to myocarditis, a rare but known side effect of Pfizer's vaccine, the ministry added.

Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle that can limit the organ's ability to pump blood, and can cause changes in the rhythm of the heartbeat.

In response, Pfizer said it acknowledges there may be rare reports of myocarditis following vaccination, but that such side effects are extremely rare.

"Pfizer takes the potentially adverse events associated with our vaccine very seriously," Pfizer told Reuters.

"We closely monitor all such events and collect relevant information, to share with regulatory authorities around the world."

New Zealand's Ministry of Health said other medical problems at the same time could affect outcomes after vaccination. But the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks from side effects, he added.

"The benefits of vaccination with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine continue to far outweigh the risks of COVID-19 infection and vaccine side effects, including myocarditis," the ministry said.

For your information, New Zealand has temporarily approved the use of the COVID-19 vaccine as reported by Pfizer/BioNTech, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca. However, only the vaccines produced by Pfizer have been approved for release to the public.

This Monday, New Zealand reported 53 new cases of infection, bringing New Zealand's tally of infections in the current outbreak to 562, amid a nationwide lockdown imposed this month to limit the spread of the Delta variant. All new cases were reported in its largest city, Auckland.