Two men died after each was administered a dose of Moderna Inc.'s COVID-19 vaccine that was among lots later suspended from use following the discovery of contaminants, the health ministry said Saturday.
The two men, 30 and 38, died within days of receiving their second shots on Aug. 22 and 15, respectively, and no foreign matter was found in either of the vials of vaccine used on the two men, the ministry said, Kyodo News reported.
It remains unknown if there is any causal relationship between the vaccination and their deaths, the ministry said, adding that neither of them had an underlying medical condition or a history of allergic reactions.
Japan's health ministry said Thursday that foreign substances have been confirmed in 39 unused vials at eight vaccination sites in five prefectures. The same day, it halted the use of around 1.63 million doses, or three lots, which came from the same production line of a Spanish factory, as a precaution.
