JAKARTA - New Zealand authorities said Monday they had linked the death of a 26-year-old man to Pfizer Inc's COVID-19 vaccine, after the man developed myocarditis, a rare inflammation of the heart muscle, after receiving his first dose.
The death was the second in New Zealand linked to a known but rare side effect from the vaccine, after health authorities in August reported a woman died after receiving a COVID-19 vaccination.
"With the information currently available, the board has considered that myocarditis may be caused by vaccination in this individual," the COVID-19 Vaccine Independent Safety Monitoring Council said in a statement.
The man, who died within two weeks of the first dose, did not seek medical advice or treatment for his symptoms. 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.
New Zealand's vaccine safety board also said two other people, including a 13-year-old child, had died of possible myocarditis following their vaccination. More details are needed before linking a child's death to the vaccine, while the death of a man in his 60s is unlikely to be vaccine-related, he said.
Although side effects are rare, the vaccine safety board says the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks.
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Separately, a Pfizer spokesman said the company is aware of reports of deaths in New Zealand, is monitoring all reports of possible adverse events, and continues to believe the benefit-risk profile for its vaccine is positive.
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