The CDC has identified 28 cases of serious blood clots among the more than 8.7 million people in the U.S. who have received a Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, a CDC official said May 12, according to NBC News.
The latest case count is as of May 7. The CDC previously reported a total of 17 cases out of nearly 8 million people given the shot as of April 25.
Tom Shimabukuro, MD, who leads the CDC's COVID-19 vaccine safety-monitoring work, gave the update on the blood clots at a May 12 meeting of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, NBC News reported.
Dr. Shumabukuro said current evidence "suggests a plausible causal association" with the Johnson & Johnson shot and cases of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, a condition that involves blood clots in combination with low levels of platelets.
Most blood-clotting cases occurred in women ages 18 to 49, NBC News reported. Six were men. The onset of the thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome occurred three to 15 days after vaccination, with a median time of nine days.
Nineteen of the patients developed a type of brain blood clot called a cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, NBC News reported. Four patients are still hospitalized, and one is in intensive care. Two were sent to post-acute care facilities, and three patients died. Nineteen have been discharged home.
Dr. Shumabukuro said the events appear similar to the blood-clotting events observed in Europe after people had the AstraZeneca vaccine, according to NBC News.
The CDC and FDA paused the use of Johnson & Johnson's vaccine in the U.S. April 13 after reports of the rare but serious blood clots. The pause was lifted April 23. In all 28 cases identified by the CDC, the people received the shot before the pause took place, NBC News reported.
Read the full article here.