BBC News :
New Zealand has reported what it believes to be its first death linked to the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine.
An independent vaccine safety monitoring board said the woman’s death was “probably” due to myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle.
It also noted there were other medical issues which could have “influenced the outcome following vaccination”.
European regulators say myocarditis is a “very rare” side effect and that the vaccine’s benefits outweigh the risks. The official cause of death has not yet been determined.
However, the Covid-19 Vaccine Independent Safety Monitoring Board said the myocarditis was “probably due to vaccination”.
“This is the first case in New Zealand where a death in the days following vaccination has been linked to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. While the Centre for Adverse Reactions Monitoring has received other reports of deaths in someone recently vaccinated, none are considered related to vaccination,” it said in a statement.
