Australia now has 315 cases of heart inflammation linked to Pfizer

Reports of a rare side effect following the Pfizer vaccine are up in Australia with 27 new cases.

The number of cases of heart inflammation linked to the Pfizer vaccine in Australia has risen to 315 from about 23.4 million doses.

The rise follows 27 new cases to the week ending November 14.

Of the cases classified as likely to be myocarditis, most of the patients experienced symptoms within three days of vaccination. Around half of the patients were admitted to hospital with 11 being treated in intensive care. Most patients treated in hospital were discharged within four days.

The youngest case classified as ‘likely myocarditis’ to date was aged 12.

The Pfizer Covid vaccine has been linked to heart inflammation cases.

The details were released by the Therapeutic Goods Administration in the Covid-19 Vaccine Weekly Safety Report on Thursday afternoon.

“We continue to monitor and review Australian data on myocarditis and will provide regular updates in this report as more information becomes available. We are also working closely with international medicines regulators to share emerging safety information,” the TGA says.

The report also reveals three new cases of Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) or blood clots following the AstraZeneca jab. The cases, all considered ‘probable’, involved 62 and 77-year-old men from Victoria and a 78-year-old man from NSW.

The new blood clots cases take the total in Australia to 163 and nine deaths from about 13.4 million doses of AstraZeneca.

There have also been 148 reports of suspected Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) occurring after vaccination with AstraZeneca, a rare but sometimes serious immune disorder affecting the nerves that can result in pain, numbness, muscle weakness and difficulty walking.

“It is expected that some suspected cases may not be related to vaccination, as GBS can occur after common viral infections and some types of gastroenteritis,” the TGA says.

The TGA advises people should seek immediate medical attention if they develop any of the following symptoms after vaccination:

– severe or persistent headache, blurred vision, confusion or seizures

– shortness of breath, chest pain, leg swelling or persistent abdominal pain

– unusual skin bruising and/or pinpoint round spots beyond the site of vaccination.

The most common time period for onset of TTS symptoms is 4–30 days after vaccination.