Coronavirus: experts say detailed autopsy report needed before deciding whether death of elderly Hong Kong man linked to vaccine
- The 71-year-old man was rushed to hospital after experiencing unspecified symptoms on Sunday night, four days after getting Sinovac jab
- Expert committee also reaches preliminary conclusion that there was no connection between vaccine and case of another patient who died recently
The committee reached a preliminary conclusion on Monday that there was no connection between the roll-out of the Chinese-made vaccine and the cases of another patient who died recently and two others who had to be taken into intensive care after being vaccinated. The experts reached the same decision in the case of the city’s first such fatality last week.
The Centre for Health Protection warned of more such cases being reported during the mass vaccination programme, while the government announced it was expanding the campaign to include seven more eligible groups, including restaurant staff, bus drivers and teachers, starting from Tuesday.
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The third death during the vaccine roll-out has sparked new concerns because, unlike in the other two fatal cases, the 71-year-old patient’s past medical history was unknown.
Dr Lee Cheuk-kwong, co-convenor of the Expert Committee on Clinical Events Assessment Following Covid-19 Immunisation, said more information was needed to investigate the death of the elderly man, who received a Sinovac shot on March 3 at a private doctor’s clinic and died early on Monday in a public hospital after being admitted the previous night.
“As the patient died within a short period of time [after being hospitalised], we need more information from the autopsy to do an assessment,” Lee said, noting that the case had been referred to the Coroner’s Court for a follow-up.
The Department of Health issued a statement adding, “Based on available data, there is no particular safety concern detected from the [Sinovac] vaccine … patients with uncontrolled severe chronic diseases should not receive the vaccine.”
