Brazil’s COVID-19 vaccine volunteer dies, authorities say trial to continue

A volunteer in Brazil's clinical trial of COVID-19 vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University has died, the Brazilian health agency Anvisa announced on Wednesday while adding that the trial will continue.

While it is not clear whether the volunteer had received the vaccine or a placebo shot during the trial, Anvisa has refused to reveal any more information citing reasons of medical privacy, CNN reported. "All significant medical incidents, whether participants are in the control group or the COVID-19 vaccine group, are independently reviewed. Following careful assessment of this case in Brazil, there have been no concerns about safety of the clinical trial and the independent review in addition to the Brazilian regulator have recommended that the trial should continue," Oxford University told CNN in an emailed statement on Wednesday.

CNN further reported that a spokesman for vaccine maker AstraZeneca declined to comment specifically on reports that a volunteer in its trial of a coronavirus vaccine in Brazil had died, but indicated nothing had happened to justify stopping or pausing the trial.

"We cannot comment on individual cases in an ongoing trial of the Oxford vaccine as we adhere strictly to medical confidentiality and clinical trial regulations, but we can confirm that all required review processes have been followed," the spokesman was quoted as saying.

According to the latest update by the Johns Hopkins University, Brazil has recorded as many as 5,273,954 COVID-19 cases and 154,837 people have died due to the virus till now.