806 Additional COVID-19 Vaccine Adverse Reactions Reported... Total Death Reports Increase by 1 to 8

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] The number of suspected adverse reactions reported to health authorities after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine in South Korea increased by about 800 cases in a single day.

According to the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Task Force (Task Force) as of midnight on the 7th, the number of newly reported adverse reactions totaled 806 cases. Among these, 9 cases were suspected severe systemic allergic reactions known as 'anaphylaxis,' and 2 cases involved patients admitted to intensive care units.

The number of reported deaths increased by one, bringing the cumulative total to 8. The remaining 794 cases were identified as mild symptoms such as headaches or fever. Since vaccinations began on the 26th of last month, the cumulative number of suspected adverse reaction reports has risen to 3,689. This accounts for approximately 1.17% of the 314,656 people vaccinated nationwide as of midnight on the same day.

When classified by vaccine type, 3,671 cases were related to the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine, and 18 cases were related to the Pfizer vaccine. This difference appears to be due to the significantly higher number of AstraZeneca vaccine recipients (cumulative 309,387) compared to Pfizer vaccine recipients (5,269).

As for the types of adverse reactions reported so far, there have been 33 suspected anaphylaxis cases, 5 suspected severe cases including seizures or ICU admissions, and 8 death cases. The suspected anaphylaxis cases are broadly categorized into anaphylaxis, anaphylactic shock, and anaphylactoid reactions.

Among the 33 reported cases, 32 were anaphylactoid reactions and 1 was anaphylactic shock. Anaphylactoid reactions are characterized by symptoms such as difficulty breathing or hives occurring within two hours after vaccination. Although these symptoms resemble anaphylaxis, experts explain that they can improve with symptomatic treatment and are generally not considered serious. Additionally, 3,643 cases, accounting for 98.8% of all reported adverse reactions, were mild cases such as headaches, fever, nausea, and vomiting commonly experienced after vaccination, according to the Task Force.

The health authorities are currently investigating suspected severe adverse reactions, including deaths. To date, no causal relationship between vaccination and these cases has been confirmed. The Task Force held a closed meeting on the same day with a 'Vaccination Damage Investigation Team' composed of experienced clinical doctors and forensic experts to thoroughly review the causal relationship between vaccination and severe adverse reactions, including death cases.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.