South Africa reports first death causally linked to COVD-19 vaccine

4/8/2022 18:19

        South Africa's health regulator reported on Thursday a causal link between the death of an individual and Johnson &Johnson's (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine, the first time such a direct link has been made in the country.
        
        Senior scientists told a news conference, the person presented with rare neurological disorder Guillain-Barre Syndrome soon after being given J&J's vaccine, after which the person was put on a ventilator and later died.
        
        Professor Hannelie Meyer said, "At the time of illness no other cause for the Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) could be identified."
        
        The person's age and other personal details were not disclosed for confidentiality reasons.
        
        Last July, U.S. authorities added a warning to a factsheet for J&J's vaccine saying data suggested there was an increased risk of GBS in the six weeks after vaccination. At the time it noted 100 preliminary reports of GBS in vaccine recipients, including 95 serious cases and one reported death.