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South Africa reports first death causally linked to COVID vaccine

04 August 2022 20:24 (UTC +04:00)

South Africa's health regulator reported on Thursday a causal link between the death of an individual and Johnson & Johnson's (J&J) (JNJ.N) COVID-19 vaccine, the first time such a direct link has been made in the country, APA reports citing Reuters.

The person presented with rare neurological disorder Guillain-Barre Syndrome soon after being given J&J's Janssen vaccine, after which the person was put on a ventilator and later died, senior scientists told a news conference.

"At the time of illness no other cause for the Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) could be identified," Professor Hannelie Meyer said.

The person's age and other personal details were not disclosed for confidentiality reasons.

J&J said in an emailed statement that GBS was associated with the administration of various vaccines and other medicines and can also be triggered by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

The company said it strongly supported raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of rare events to ensure they can be quickly identified and effectively treated.