Perak health department awaiting full report on teen’s death after second vaccine jab

The Perak Health Department is still waiting for a complete post-mortem report to determine the cause of death of a 15-year-old boy one day after receiving his second dose of Covid-19 vaccine at the Gunung Rapat National Secondary School vaccination centre in Ipoh on Oct 23.

State health director Dr Ding Lay Ming said tissue samples had been sent for further examination by the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital forensic pathologist.

“The post-mortem report is incomplete because there are test results that have not been received,” she said in a statement.

She said the post-mortem examination carried out on the boy’s remains at 3.40pm on Oct 24 revealed a narrowing of the lungs (spontaneous bronchospasm).

Ding said the boy was only reported to have experienced pain at the injection site after receiving the second vaccine jab. He did not have any allergies to previous vaccines or drugs and was not known to have any chronic illness.

“He also did not report any problems or complications after receiving the first dose,” she said.

The boy began experiencing shortness of breath before losing consciousness at his home on Oct 24 at about 9.30am, a day after he received his second vaccine jab, she added.

She said the teenager was taken to a private hospital in Ipoh for emergency treatment but was pronounced dead at about 10.40am.