Eight more blood clot cases linked to AstraZeneca vaccine 

Eight more Australians have been raced to hospital with the rare blood clotting disorder linked to the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.

The disturbing figures were released on Thursday afternoon as thousands of Covid-fearing people flock to vaccination hubs amid Victoria’s growing cluster, which has swelled to 63.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration said there are four confirmed cases of the blood clotting disorder, including an 82-year-old woman from New South Wales, two Victorian women, 40 and 70, and a man from Queensland who is 70.   

An additional four people are believed to have the condition, including a 72-year-old South Australian man, a 61-year-old NSW woman, and two men from Queensland, age 73 and 67.

According to the TGA, one patient is critically unwell and is in intensive care. 

The total number of Australians who have the rare disorder as a result of the AstraZeneca jab has ballooned to 41 since the roll out earlier this year. 

Of those with the disorder, 23 have been discharged from hospital and are recovering, four have left hospital but still require care, 13 are yet to leave hospital and one has died. 

Medical advice updated in April recommended AstraZeneca be scrapped as the preference for people under 50, due to the risk of blood clots.  

‘With the ongoing risk of Covid outbreaks in Australia and the potential for severe long-term effects or fatal consequences of infection, the benefits for the AstraZeneca vaccine continue to outweigh the risks,’ the TGA said.  

On Wednesday, 630,547 doses of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines were administered nationally.

The TGA received 1,825 reports of adverse reactions to the vaccines within that time. 

More to come