Ontario has reported its first death linked to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Barbara Yaffe made the announcement yesterday.
She said a man in his 40’s developed VITT (vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombo-cytopenia); an extremely rare blood clotting syndrome and side effect associated with the AstraZeneca vaccine, after receiving his first dose last month and died a few weeks later.
Yaffe expressed her condolences to the victim’s family and added the risks associated with this vaccine are rare, but they are real.
She says to date, more than a million people in Ontario have received the AstraZeneca vaccine, with only 13 confirmed cases of VITT.
Yaffe said anyone who has already received the AstraZeneca vaccine, should be confident in their decision.
LIVE: Ontario health officials provide COVID-19 update
➡️https://t.co/embAcXHMk5EN DIRECT : Des responsables de la santé de l’Ontario font le point sur la COVID-19
➡️https://t.co/4slXtt796v
#onpoli | #cdnpoli | #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/zX5QXRA2vr— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) May 25, 2021