British regulators identify more blood clot cases after AstraZeneca vaccine, bringing total to 30

British regulators on Thursday said they have identified 30 cases of rare blood clot events after the use of the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine, 25 more than the agency previously reported.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said it had received no such reports of clotting events following use of the vaccine made by BioNTech SE and Pfizer Inc.

The health officials said they still believe the benefits of the vaccine in the prevention of COVID-19 far outweigh any possible risk of blood clots.

Some countries are restricting use of the AstraZeneca vaccine while others have resumed inoculations, as investigations into reports of rare, and sometimes severe, blood clots continue.

On March 18, the U.K.'s medicines regulator said that there had been five cases of a rare brain blood clot among 11 million administered shots.

WATCH |Should people who've had the AstraZeneca vaccine be concerned?

COVID-19: Should people whove had the AstraZeneca vaccine be concerned?

3 years ago

Duration 4:22

Infectious disease experts take questions about the changing advice for the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine including if those whove had a shot should be concerned.

On Thursday, it put the count at 22 reports of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, an extremely rare brain clotting ailment, and eightreports of other clotting events associated with low blood platelets out of a total of 18.1 million doses given.

In Canada, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommended on Monday that the use of theAstraZenecavaccine for Canadians under 55be immediately suspended.