Five Australians suffer blood clots after AstraZeneca jab in one week

Five Australians have suffered blood clots believed to be linked to AstraZeneca in just one week, with one man being treated in ICU.

A 66-year-old man has ben admitted to Townsville University hospital after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine. PICTURE: MATT TAYLOR.

Therapeutic Goods Administration head John Skerritt says there have been five new cases of blood clotting over the past week and a half, believed to be linked to the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine.

A total of 11 cases of blood clotting have occured since Australia’s vaccine rollout began. The five people include today’s reports about a 66-year-old man in Townsville and a 70-year-old man in Tasmania who have been diagnosed with the rare blood clotting disorder after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. The other clotting cases were in a 74-year-old man, a 51-year-old woman and a 64-year old woman.

Of the five new cases, four have already gone home from hospital, two are back at work and the fifth is receiving medical care but stable.

“You’ll notice that all of those people, one just over 50, but if you step back and think about who is now getting the AstraZeneca vaccine, it is only, with a few rare exceptions, people aged over 50. So it is obvious that future cases will be in the over 50s,” Professor Skerritt said.

He said for every 1,000 doses of the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine administered, the TGA received on average 6-7 adverse event reports.

“These are people who have felt unwell or have presented to a doctor or hospital after being vaccinated. And overwhelmingly these are the sorts of things that are associated with any vaccination are generally fever, joint pain, muscle soreness, tiredness, maybe nausea, and vomiting,” he said.

He said more adverse effects had been reported for AstraZeneca compared to Pfizer. But he said on a “per vaccination basis” the rates were the same for both vaccinations.

Earlier, the TGA said it is also actively investigating a further three possible cases but tests “did not consistently indicate TTS and platelet counts were higher” than the accepted threshold.

“The TGA is working with state and territory health departments to obtain further test results and information about medical history to inform further assessment,” the statement said.

Queensland’s chief health officer Dr Jeanette Young said the 66-year-old man who developed blood clots was inoculated on March 30 with AstraZeneca. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Queensland’s chief health officer Dr Jeanette Young revealed the 66-year-old Townsville mans’s condition has been directly linked to being vaccinated against COVID-19 in a press conference on Thursday.

“The TGA, I understand, will announce later today a case of thrombosis following an AstraZeneca vaccination in a 66-year-old gentleman in Townsville,” she said.

“He has been admitted to the ICU.

“TGA has confirmed that his illness is a direct result of the AstraZeneca vaccine.”

A statement from the Tasmanian Department of Health has said their 70-year-old patient is in a stable condition in hospital.

“The patient, a 70-year old man, reported symptoms 7 days after receiving the vaccine. He is currently in hospital receiving treatment and remains in a stable condition,” the statement read.

“Information about the case was notified to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for assessment, including to determine whether the case is linked to vaccination.

“The TGA has today confirmed that this case (together with 4 cases from other states) has been assessed as TTS, likely to be linked to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.”

The man had his jab on March 30, and soon afterwards developed a reaction which worsened over time.

Dr Young said the Queensland patient had received an initial AztraZeneca jab on March 30 and soon afterwards had a reaction which worsened over time.

“He received the first dose of the vaccine, on the 30th of March, subsequently developed some abdominal pain and presented to the Townsville Hospital, where he was admitted and tested,” Dr Young said.

“It‘s now been confirmed that he is most likely developed that syndrome.”

The incident should not deter people from being vaccinated against COVID-19, said Health Minister Yvette D’Ath.

“Vaccine confidence is really important. We want as many Australians and Queenslanders to get vaccinated,” she said.

“We know that is really important to protect our community … and we will continue to act on the advice of the TGA.”

The news comes as Queensland tightens its borders with NSW following two locally acquired coronavirus cases in Sydney.

Anyone arriving from NSW who has been to one of 19 ‘hot spot’ venues will be sent to hotel quarantine from early Friday morning.

Ms D’Ath said from 1am Friday, anyone arriving in Queensland who had been to any of the 19 venues in NSW, where the two positive cases had visited, will spend two weeks in hotel quarantine.

She said police would vet arrivals and it was a “reasonable” and “proportionate” measure.

“Anyone who identifies as having gone to those venues will quarantine for 14 days,” Ms D’Ath told reporters.

more to come …