COVID-19: Two dead in Japan after receiving tainted Moderna shots

Two people in Japan have died after receiving shots of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine, the country’s health ministry said.

The shots were among the lots that were suspended after the discovery of contaminants.

Both men, in their 30s, died within days of receiving their second shot this month.

The cause of death is still under investigation.

The shots administered were from one of three manufacturing lots that were suspended on Thursday. Japan stopped the use of 1.63 million Moderna doses shipped to 863 vaccination centers across the country, over a week after the domestic distributor Takeda Pharmaceutical received reports that some vials had contaminants.

Both Moderna and the Japanese government had said no safety or efficacy issues were identified at the time.