Opposition Kuomintang (KMT) lawmakers are calling on the health ministry to investigate the cause of death of patients who died after getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Taiwan has seen a total of 712 such deaths so far.
Over 11.2 million of Taiwan's 23.5 million people have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose and over 970,000 have been fully vaccinated.
Ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker Huang Shih-jieh says that it is normal to see some patients die after receiving a vaccine. He says that the causes of death have to be determined on a case by case basis.
Of the over 700 deaths in question, 150 autopsies have been completed. Huang says that pathologists will send the autopsy data to expert committees as soon as possible. The committees will then evaluate any possible connection to vaccines and determine an appropriate level of compensation for the families of the deceased.
KMT lawmaker Hung Mong-kai says that families of 50 people among the autopsy cases have applied to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Hung says none of their cases have been reviewed yet.