Cyprus is one of 17 EU countries which received a controversial batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine that Austria has already suspended after a person died 10 days after vaccination.
This is what a Health Ministry press release said on Thursday adding that by it was keeping its consignment on hold as a precaution and waiting for final confirmation.
Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden are the countries which have received the batch numbered ABV5300.
Austrian health authorities have suspended it after the person who died was diagnosed with multiple thrombosis and died 10 days after vaccination.
At the same time, a second person was hospitalised with pulmonary embolism, that is blockage in arteries in the lungs, after being vaccinated. The latter is now recovering.
As of Tuesday, March 9, two other reports of thromboembolic event cases had been received for this batch, according to the press release.
There is currently no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions, which are not listed as side effects with this vaccine.
Batch ABV5300 comprises one million doses of the vaccine.
Although a quality defect is considered unlikely at this stage, the batch quality is being investigated.
