© Provided by The GuardianPhotograph: Yves Herman/Reuters
Australia's medicine regulator has determined the death of a 48-year-old diabetic woman who developed blood clots after receiving AstraZeneca was "likely" linked to the vaccine.
On Friday night, the Therapeutic Goods Administration said experts had concluded the NSW woman's death four days after receiving the vaccination was likely linked to the jab.
"In the absence of an alternative cause for the clinical syndrome, VSIG believed that a causative link to vaccination should be assumed at this time," the TGA said in a statement.
The announcement came following a meeting of Australia's Vaccine Safety Investigation Group on Friday afternoon.
It is the third case of the rare blood clotting disease linked to the vaccine in Australia but the first death.
Authorities said the woman had received the AstraZeneca vaccine on 8 April prior to the government's announcement that the Pfizer vaccine was preferred for patients under 50 years old.
© Photograph: Yves Herman/Reuters'In the absence of an alternative cause for the clinical syndrome, VSIG believed that a causative link to vaccination should be assumed at this time,' the TGA said in a statement.