The man, 49, received his second Covid-19 vaccine on August 11 and was pronounced dead the next morning, local media reported, citing the Department of Health. It is not yet known whether his death was linked to the vaccination. It is also not known if the deceased had any underlying health issues that could have contributed to his sudden disappearance. The man has been reported to be allergic to buckwheat.
The man was inoculated with a dose from one of the now suspended vaccine lots. About 2.6 million shots of Moderna’s Covid vaccine have been recalled across Japan after foreign particles were found inside some of the vials. While authorities initially withdrew some 1.63 million doses from three different batches, another million doses were subsequently recalled from Okinawa and Gunma prefectures after they were also found to be contaminated.
Third person dies in Japan after taking contaminated Moderna coronavirus vaccine https://t.co/7wsdTr9xWb
— The Guardian (@guardian) September 7, 2021
The 49-year-old is the third person in Japan to die after receiving a dose from the contaminated batches. Earlier, two men, both in their 30s, died days after taking their second shot of Moderna. However, none of the vials used to vaccinate them were reported to contain any foreign particles. An investigation into their deaths is currently underway.
The substance initially found in several dozen unused vials and which led to the recall of the batches was later found to be stainless steel. Last week, Moderna’s Japanese distributor Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. said it had investigated the factory where the contamination was believed to have occurred, suggesting that the metal shavings most likely came from the machines at installation. However, the company insisted that the particles are safe for patients, because “Stainless steel is commonly used in heart valves, joint prostheses, and metal sutures and staples. “
As such, injection of the particles … is not expected to result in an increased medical risk.
Despite the ongoing controversy over Moderna, Japan’s immunization minister Taro Kono is currently leading the polls in the race to become the country’s next prime minister. His fortune rose further after outgoing Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced he would step down this month amid criticism of his handling of the pandemic.